Tues., 6/6/17 Devotion (Isa. 38:17)

Today's encouragement comes from Isaiah 38:17, where we read these neat words:

"Indeed it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness; but You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back."

These are the words of the faithful king Hezekiah, after he was told that God would prolong his life. What I like about this verse is the tension between life in sin and struggle (the law, if you will); and life in grace and peace in Christ (the gospel, if you will).

*That* is precisely where all the regenerate live. We should face this fact head-on; and then we should determine, by grace, to live in faith, not despair-ing of the difficulties that are sure to be ours down here. In Christ we always gain the victory.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Thus it is said of a true godly man that he stirs himself up against the hypocrite, that he holds on his way and grows stronger and stronger (Job 17:8-9).” —Jeremiah Burroughs, in, "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit"]