Who's Your Boss?

Daily Reading: Judges 9

Scripture Focus: Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you? (Judges 9.2)

Devotional Thought: I was talking with some friends the other day, and they asked who my boss was. Some thought it was my district superintendent. I said, "No, not really. He's my pastor, but he's not my boss." What about the church board? "No, not them either. I actually am the chairman of the board." Well then, the congregation? "Um, no, not them either. I am the shepherd of the flock." Well who is your boss? "After God, it's the district assembly! The Church Manual says I'm 'amenable to the district assembly.'" Then I looked at my friends, "Oh no! Most of you are members of the district assembly! That means you're all my boss!"

That was all said in fun, but have you ever had a job where you had more than one boss? It's not pleasant, is it? You never really know what to do. And, Abimelech, although godless, ruthless and thankless, shows the logic and wisdom of having only one boss - of having only one defining principle, only one God.

We have only one God, don't we? The scripture says, "The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6.4-5), and "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20.3). Our one God will crush all other gods under our feet (Romans 16.8).

Which is better? Is it not better to have the one true God as our God? Nobody needs two bosses, "for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other" (Matthew 6.24).

Who - or what - rules over you?

Prayer: "King of my life, I crown thee now. Thine shall the glory be! Lest I forget thy thorn-crowned brow, lead me to Calvary." Jesus, no other God would pour out his life for me. I gladly own you as my King! Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 55.1-8

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! 2 Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, 3 because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. 6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; 7 yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah 8 I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.”