Thurs., 12/27/18 Devotion (2 Chron. 32:1)

Today's encouragement comes from 2 Chronicles 32:1, which says this (con-cerning Hezekiah and the people of Judah):

"After these deeds of [Hezekiah's] faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered Judah; he encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them over to himself."

How odd. Hezekiah had just effected some of the most thoroughgoing God-honoring reforms of all time, and "after these deeds of faithfulness," a foreign invader is on his doorstep. We should beware of anyone who tells us that if we do certain religious things, or follow certain patterns, definite (positive) re-sults will inevitably follow. (They are usually trying to sell us something.)

The truth is that God's providences are mysterious, and hard to understand. We may truly honor God; and He may see it best to immediately send us some fresh trouble. But on this we can stand: The Lord knows what is best for His children, which He perfectly loves in Jesus, His Son.

[Puritan quote of the day: "They have armies on their side, and strength and powers of the world on their side; but we have truth and God on our side!”
—Christopher Love, in, "The Dejected Soul's Cure"]