Daily Devotions for Today 02-02-2023

THURSDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 2023

TEXT: 2 Kings 12:9-15

9. Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the house of the LORD; and the priests who guarded the door put in the chest all the money that was brought [by the people] into the house of the LORD.

10. And whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up and tied it in bags and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD.

11. Then they gave the money, which was weighed out into the hands of those who were doing the work, who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and they paid it out to the carpenters and builders who worked on the house (temple) of the LORD.

12. and to the masons and stonecutters, and to buy timber and hewn (cut) stone to repair any breach in the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for repairing the house.

13. However, there was not made for the house of the LORD basins of silver, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, any gold containers or [other] silver containers, from the money that was brought into the house of the LORD;

14. but they gave that to those who did the work, and with it they repaired the house of the LORD.

15. Moreover, they did not require an accounting from the men into whose hands they placed the money to be paid to those who did the work, for they acted in good faith.

(Amplified Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility is said to be a moral obligation to behave correctly. Two key factors to this moral are honesty and accountability. In our text for today, we notice the display of a rare practice – honesty and accountability in the work of repairing the temple.

Responsibility and accountability were demonstrated in the ladder of checks and balances – money moved from the priests to the royal secretary and high priest. From there, the money moved to the work supervisors. From the supervisors, the money moved to the workmen, who did exactly what they were required to do.

There was no need for accounting as everyone acted in complete honesty! A lot will be demanded from believers this year in the area of accountability. These two values are grossly lacking in general election year in Nigeria.

It is a year where the will, spirituality and morality of many will be tested. Alas, it is possible that many who profess to be believers will offer their consciences and even faith to the highest bidder! Achan failed this test. Gehazi failed this test. Ananias and Sapphira also failed this test. Are you responsible? Are you honest?

QUESTION: Can you be trusted?

PRAYER: Lord, break me down till I am honest and responsible. Please correct my past and make me correct my present and future. Amen.