January 13 "Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold but they went not; for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber" (1 Kings 22: 48). Solomon's ships had returned in safety, but Jehoshaphat's vessels never reached the land of gold. Providence prospers one and frustrates the desires of another in the same business and at the same time. Yet, the great ruler is as good and wise at one time as another. May we have grace today, in the remembrance of this text, to bless the Lord for ships broken at Ezion-geber, as well as for vessels loaded with earthly blessings. Let us not envy the more successful or murmur at our losses as though we were singularly and specially tried. The secret cause of Jehoshaphat's loss is worthy of notice, for it is the root of much of the suffering of the Lord's people. It was his alliance with a sinful family, his fellowship with sinners that caused the disaster. In 2 Chronicles 20: 37, we are told that the Lord sent a prophet to declare, "Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works." This was a fatherly chastisement, which appears to have been blessed to him. Let Jehoshaphat's experience be a warning to the rest of the Lord's people to avoid being unequally yoked together with unbelievers! Oh, for such love for Jesus that, like Him, we may be holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.

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