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- Oct 26, 2007
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"Be strong and courageous! Don't be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side! 2 Chronicles 32:7 NLT
Hezekiah, one of Judah’s few good kings, cleaned up the temple, both literally and spiritually, and made God the center of life in Jerusalem again. God strengthened him to stand against mighty Assyria and gave him an astonishing victory and the regard of the surrounding nations. Second Chronicles 32:30 says that Hezekiah “succeeded in everything he undertook.”
But then something frightening happened: “God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart” (v. 31). Turns out Hezekiah had a pride issue—one that delayed his healing in one case and aided Babylon’s ultimate conquest of Judah in another. God promises never to leave us nor forsake us, so His “leaving” of Hezekiah can only mean that He withdrew His immediate material blessings, to see if the king loved Him for who He is or only for what He gave him.
When God tests you, cling to the bottom-line truth: There “is a greater power with us than with (the world)” (2 Chronicles 32:7). Whatever God allows in your life He equips you to face. Stay faithful and you’ll pass.
Prayer: Lord, Your tests are hard, but I trust that when You allow one, You think I’m ready to go deeper into my relationship with You. Be my strength and my portion, always.
Hezekiah, one of Judah’s few good kings, cleaned up the temple, both literally and spiritually, and made God the center of life in Jerusalem again. God strengthened him to stand against mighty Assyria and gave him an astonishing victory and the regard of the surrounding nations. Second Chronicles 32:30 says that Hezekiah “succeeded in everything he undertook.”
But then something frightening happened: “God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart” (v. 31). Turns out Hezekiah had a pride issue—one that delayed his healing in one case and aided Babylon’s ultimate conquest of Judah in another. God promises never to leave us nor forsake us, so His “leaving” of Hezekiah can only mean that He withdrew His immediate material blessings, to see if the king loved Him for who He is or only for what He gave him.
When God tests you, cling to the bottom-line truth: There “is a greater power with us than with (the world)” (2 Chronicles 32:7). Whatever God allows in your life He equips you to face. Stay faithful and you’ll pass.
Prayer: Lord, Your tests are hard, but I trust that when You allow one, You think I’m ready to go deeper into my relationship with You. Be my strength and my portion, always.
