Reading: II Kings 20 - 21
My Verse: "Thus says the LORD, Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover" (II Kings 20:1).
This is such a tragic passage, LORD God. You ordained that Hezekiah should die. Hezekiah would not accept this, Your will, for him. He begged You for a longer life and You, LORD God gave him what he asked for. This reminds me of the adage, "Be careful what you ask for!"
You, LORD God see what we cannot. You make decisions and take actions that are always in our best interest. Hezekiah was a king devoted to You. Yet here he shows pride in that. He reminds You of all the great things he did for You as he begs for a longer life! You grant him his request even though it was not the best for him.
The results of his longer life are devastating.
1. He had a son, Manasseh, who "did evil in the sight of the LORD."
2. Manassah built back up the "high places" and "reared up altars for Baal and made an Asherah."
3. Manassah built heathen altars in the house of the LORD. (21:4)
4. "And he burned his son as an offering and did much evil in the sight of the LORD"(21:6).
5. He led the Israelites astray to do more evil than the nations that were there before them. (21:9)
6. He shed much innocent blood of his own people. (21:16)
7. Manassah's son Anon reigned after his father and "also did evil in the sight of the LORD" (21:20).
I am reminded of when the Israelites begged You, LORD God for a king of their own. (I Samuel 8) You warned them and then gave into their demands.
I find it interesting that You, LORD God give into us when we beg You for something. You are so like a human loving parent. You want so much for us to be happy.
I am also reminded of those that say everything is set in stone. That it doesn't matter what we do. They say You, LORD God have determined how everything is going to be and so we have no say. This is so not true. We do have an active part to play in this life You have given us. You did give us a free will after all. Our life is so very dynamic - we make decisions every moment of every day. Decisions that are right or wrong. Decisions that lead us closer to You or further from You. That is what all of life is about.
Many choose to ignore the question of their eternity. I am embarrassed to confess I sometimes envy those that do. I envy their seemingly blissful ignorance! Yet, I know that this is a choice made. And I cannot go there.
Pascal's Wager comes to mind. It is said he wrote for the skeptics. but isn't every unbeliever a skeptic? His reply to the skeptic or agnostic's claim that it is best to not believe or to not make a choice. "But you must wager. There is no choice. You are already committed [embarked]." In other words we are already in this game of life! C.S. Lewis calls those that refuse to believe in You, LORD God, "rebels to the end. . . They enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded, and are therefore self-enslaved" (The Problem of Pain).
Oh, I am so thankful to You, LORD God for drawing me to You. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me in such a way that I could see it is the Way, the only way. Thank You for opening up Your Word to me as the Truth that it is!
Help me today to seek Your will for my life. Help me today to be sensitive to Your guiding and so check any selfishness in my prayers.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "Thus says the LORD, Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover" (II Kings 20:1).
This is such a tragic passage, LORD God. You ordained that Hezekiah should die. Hezekiah would not accept this, Your will, for him. He begged You for a longer life and You, LORD God gave him what he asked for. This reminds me of the adage, "Be careful what you ask for!"
You, LORD God see what we cannot. You make decisions and take actions that are always in our best interest. Hezekiah was a king devoted to You. Yet here he shows pride in that. He reminds You of all the great things he did for You as he begs for a longer life! You grant him his request even though it was not the best for him.
The results of his longer life are devastating.
1. He had a son, Manasseh, who "did evil in the sight of the LORD."
2. Manassah built back up the "high places" and "reared up altars for Baal and made an Asherah."
3. Manassah built heathen altars in the house of the LORD. (21:4)
4. "And he burned his son as an offering and did much evil in the sight of the LORD"(21:6).
5. He led the Israelites astray to do more evil than the nations that were there before them. (21:9)
6. He shed much innocent blood of his own people. (21:16)
7. Manassah's son Anon reigned after his father and "also did evil in the sight of the LORD" (21:20).
I am reminded of when the Israelites begged You, LORD God for a king of their own. (I Samuel 8) You warned them and then gave into their demands.
I find it interesting that You, LORD God give into us when we beg You for something. You are so like a human loving parent. You want so much for us to be happy.
I am also reminded of those that say everything is set in stone. That it doesn't matter what we do. They say You, LORD God have determined how everything is going to be and so we have no say. This is so not true. We do have an active part to play in this life You have given us. You did give us a free will after all. Our life is so very dynamic - we make decisions every moment of every day. Decisions that are right or wrong. Decisions that lead us closer to You or further from You. That is what all of life is about.
Many choose to ignore the question of their eternity. I am embarrassed to confess I sometimes envy those that do. I envy their seemingly blissful ignorance! Yet, I know that this is a choice made. And I cannot go there.
Pascal's Wager comes to mind. It is said he wrote for the skeptics. but isn't every unbeliever a skeptic? His reply to the skeptic or agnostic's claim that it is best to not believe or to not make a choice. "But you must wager. There is no choice. You are already committed [embarked]." In other words we are already in this game of life! C.S. Lewis calls those that refuse to believe in You, LORD God, "rebels to the end. . . They enjoy forever the horrible freedom they have demanded, and are therefore self-enslaved" (The Problem of Pain).
Oh, I am so thankful to You, LORD God for drawing me to You. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me in such a way that I could see it is the Way, the only way. Thank You for opening up Your Word to me as the Truth that it is!
Help me today to seek Your will for my life. Help me today to be sensitive to Your guiding and so check any selfishness in my prayers.
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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