Caring About Family Influence

Scripture: And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His grandmother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. Also he removed Maachah his grandmother from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of Asherah. And Asa cut down her obscene image and burned it by the Brook Kidron. 1 Kings 15:10,13

Observation: After Rehoboam, son of Solomon, Abijam reigns. He does evil and is king only three years. After him, Asa becomes king, does right in the eyes of the Lord, and reigns 41 years ... one year longer than David.

Abijam's mother was Maachah. Asa's grandmother was Maachah, and his mother is not named. When it is declared that Asa did right, it clarifies that he banished those doing wrong, and removed the idols that previous kings had made (which would be Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijam), with specific attention to Maachah and the Asherah idol she created.

There is a problematic lineage being called out, and it seems to trace to Maachah and maybe Abishalom. They enter the royal family not under David and Solomon, but when Rehoboam marries Maachah. Rehoboam did evil, but this influence either augmented or even motivated that issue. It then afflicts Abijam, and is only broken finally by Asa ... the fifth generation from Abishalom.

Application: It matters who influences us and our children. I am SO very blessed to have been connected by God with my wife, a person who fulfilled God's promise to me and then influences me to be better. This certainly wasn't guaranteed to be the case for my life.

I pray for the same for my children, that they be connected with friends and spouses that will influence them properly, and that they in turn may be that influence to others. Rehoboam failed at this, and it impacted both him and his son. May that not be the case in my family.

Prayer: Lord, I do pray this day for my children. They have major events and decisions ahead of them, and I know your hand will guide them and direct their paths. May they have good friends who advise them well. May they find great partners who will love you and them, in that order. I have entrusted them into your hands before, and I still do. Amen.