Do you ever wonder why disaster falls on certain people, certain teams, certain cultures, certain nations? It even tends to persist at times. Often we are given no clue. Occasionally though, we are.

Here in today's Scripture, disaster falls on four of five successive kings. They are all assassinated. Why the malaise, each falling in cruel fashion? The Bible gives clues. Each monarch did evil in the sight of the LORD by repeating the same sin as the original king, Jeroboam. What evil, what sin did they all commit? Simply this: They stubbornly, conveniently worshipped God in their own way, doing what was right in their own eyes, not the way the LORD prescribed. In essence, they kept firing their coach but still kept expecting to win. Coaching ourselves is a recipe for disaster.

Reflect: Athlete, how do you worship God -- the way He wants to be worshiped or the way you choose? Are you following your Coach's every lead or conveniently firing Him?

Prayer to consider today: LORD, don't let me make You in my own image, reducing or marginalizing You to less than You really are. Keep me from setting the definitions and controlling my life. I don't want to play without a Coach. Thanks for warning me of disaster. You're the best!