This morning I have been thinking about all the issues that are going on in my life. I often wonder why some people have to deal with so much hardship in their lives and others seem to be overly blessed. In my prayer this morning I asked for some understanding and wisdom regading this. The Lord answered me through my scripture study. He usually does that. Here is what I learned this morning...
2 Chronicles 32:1
"After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself."
Ahaz, Hezekiah's father made a treaty with Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, for protection. (2 Kings 16:7). Now that Hezekiah is on the throne he breaks any treaties that his father had made and we are told in 2 Kings 18:7 that "...he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him." At this time the Northern Kingdom of Israel has already been taken away captive and now Sennacherib is leading a campaign against the Southern Kingdom of Judah in the 14th year of Hezekiah's reign.
Wait a minute, in 2 Chron 31:20-21 we read, "And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered."
Hezekiah was a really good guy. He has just finished a period of cleaning things up in the nation. He’s gotten rid of all idolatry. He’s had the
This seems so unfair, but it provides us with a great example of the lesson: Hard times will come, even to good guys.
Sometimes we get the incorrect notion that bad things only happen to bad people who really deserve them. Then a tough time hits us and we start wondering, “what did I do to deserve this?”
The truth is, bad things happen all the time. Sometimes they happen to bad people as a way to wake them up. Sometimes they happen to good people and we don’t always know why they happen. Peter wrote, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you." (1 Pet 4:12)
Jesus told a parable:
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Matt 7:24-27)
There were two kinds of people in Jesus’ story. Both heard the things that Jesus said. One obeyed what Jesus said, the other didn’t. Bad things happened to both of them. The point of the story is not about how to avoid bad things. The point is how to survive them. The way to survive is not just to hear what Jesus says, but do it.
Hezekiah could have been angered by this discouraging turn of events. Instead, he continued to trust God. He rallied the people, saying, "With us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles" (2 Chron 32:8). What a remarkable demonstration of faith!
There have been times when I could have used a portion of Hezekiah's spirit. Sometimes I wish that God would always reword my faithfulness with prosperity and protection. But God is working far beyond what I can see and is accomplishing His purposes. My present difficulties are never the final measure of His blessing and love.
Hezekiah modeled true faithfulness. He determined to obey the Lord without demanding guarantees of a trouble-free life. Like him, we can be confident of God's presence and power, and trust Him even in the darkest hours.
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