Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

The reading for today titled Listening to God was written by James Banks.

Back when I was driving to college and back home again, the road to our house in the desert seemed painfully dull.

Because it was long and straight, I found myself driving faster than I should have more than once.

First I was given a warning from the highway patrol, then I received a ticket.

Then I was cited a second time in the very same place.

Refusing to listen can have unfortunate consequences. One tragic example of this is from the life of

Josiah, a good and faithful king. When Niko, the king of Egypt, marched through Judas territory to help Assyria in battle

against Babylon in 2 Chronicles 35, Josiah went out to counter him. Niko sent messengers telling

Josiah, God has told me to hurry, so stop opposing God, who is with me. God really did send Nico, but Josiah would not listen to what

Nico had said at God's command, but went to fight him on the plain of Magidot. Josiah was fatally injured

in the battle, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. Josiah, who loved God,

discovered that insisting on his own way

without taking the time to listen to God

or his wisdom through others

never ends well.

May God give us the humility we need

to always check ourselves

and take his wisdom to heart.

Thank you. check ourselves and take his wisdom to heart. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 2 Chronicles

chapter 35 verses 20 through 27.

After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Niko, king of Egypt, went up to fight at Karkamesh on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle.

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