June 22, 2026; 1 Kings 16;

Daily Dose of Hope June 22, 2026   Scripture:  1 Kings 16   Prayer:  Almighty God, We come before you with awe and humility.  We are nothing without you.  We need you desperately, Lord.  Help us gather our scattered thoughts today as we focus on you.  In these next few moments of silence, help us remember that we belong to you.  Help us lay our worries and cares on the throne of your grace...We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through 1 Kings.  It's been quite a ride so far!  Let's see what we have in store today.    Our reading on this Monday is 1 Kings 16.  The Northern Kingdom is one, hot sinful mess! King after king, there is disobedience, idolatry, and violence. By the time we get to King Ahab at the end of chapter 16, we think it can't get any worse.  And yet, it really does. Ahab was the worst of the worst. He went above and beyond when it came to deliberately thumbing his nose at God and he took pagan worship to a new level.  Then, there was child sacrifice. To be honest, I wasn't really clear about what verse 34 meant–what does it mean to build the foundations of a city or the gates at the cost of a child? Apparently, infants (alive or dead) would be placed in a container and then literally placed in the masonry of the foundation.  The idea was to ward off evil and please the gods. I have a hard time even typing the words. How absolutely horrific and blatantly against the law of the one true God.   One more aspect of Ahab's total disregard for the Lord–the rebuilding of Jericho. Most of you probably remember the great story of Joshua and the people of God conquering Jericho after circling for seven days. At the time, God warned of death to the person (and their family) who attempted to rebuild the city.  And Ahab rebuilt it.  The author is reminding us that while it might not appear to be so, God's Word still stands. God is still in control. Ahab will not have the final word.  Evil does not win.    And evil does not win today.  It's a good reminder for all of us because there are times when the depravity around the globe can be almost overwhelming.  God will have the final word.  Of course, we live on the other side of the cross.  We know that Jesus has won victory over sin and death.  However, we do live in an in-between time.  Maybe a better way to say it is that the war has been won but there are still some battles remaining.  Until Jesus returns in final victory, evil will still have a place in this world.  When he returns, we can look forward to a time when evil will be vanquished for good.  No more tears, no more violence, no more injustice.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki