Call Slips

1 Kings 16:34

In Ahab's time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken by Joshua son of Nun.

I served as a dormitory monitor in my last two years in Febias. My main responsibility was to check the Sharon Hall ladies’ compliance to the set rules. Schedules were posted and instructions were printed (and explained) so that tasks will be done promptly and thoroughly. Forgetting, ignoring, or failing to perform had its equivalent ‘hours work’. And we do issue two warning ‘call slips’ as grace period. That’s two personal appearances to the Resident Surpervisor, with counseling if needed.  What is sad is that a lot still end up doing the work load. Some even opt to pile it up ‘til the end of the semester and so you’d see them spending their two week break, even their summer months, finishing their time. I wonder: would a couple more warnings prevent the scenario? How about adding ‘hard’ to those ‘hours’ work? If neither before nor after is the key, ain’t what is left in between is the heart issue?

Five hundred years ago before the time of Ahab, Joshua son of Nun proclaimed the LORD's warning to anyone who would defy the LORD's will by rebuilding the fortress of Jericho: ‘at the cost of his firstborn son will he lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest will he set up its gates’. The collapse of the city walls was a testimony of God’s power over the Canaanites’ lifeless gods and all man-made structures. All Israel knew that, and all who walked along those ruins knew the story. Now here come a man from Bethel name Hiel who dared and defied God’s instructions. Some may argue he was ignorant of the curse. But with the death of his firstborn when he laid Jericho’s foundations, he sure may have heard people refer back to the curse. That was his first warning.  But he continued ‘til the gates were set up and ‘til his youngest son Sugub suffered the same fate. Some scholars commented it was actually from his firstborn to the last one. That would mean more than two warnings for him.  Sadly, he persisted in his defiance.

‘God is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’.  He sends call slips to keep our feet from that final slip.  Uriah’s twice refusal to go down to his house was His warning to David’s; Peter had two more chances from his first denial; how long did Noah built that ark? shall I include Pharaoh’s plagues too? Counting all the prophets and seers, pastors and godly leaders, parents and friends around us, how many more do we need to confirm that God will accomplish His word to the last stroke of the pen? How long will we cuddle that sin?  Next brick might already be at the expense of our loved one. Another one and we could lose them all. God is serious in keeping His holy and righteous rule. Mind those call slips now. Seriously.