I often get quite exercised when folks want to protect me or my family by legislation. I our government is far too intrusive and not only have removed the fun out of a better part of our lives - but also have managed to remove a great deal of our freedom.
That's why I was a little surprised to read about the reaction of Virginia liberals to a new state law to make abortion clinics safer. The article is linked here.
The law requires abortion clinics to meet the same safety standards as hospitals.
That sounds pretty reasonable.
Democrats and pro-abortion groups are all up in arms because they say that the bill will result in the closure of some 17 of the state's 21 clinics.
Does that mean that 17 of the states 21 abortion clinics are operating under less than safe conditions?
I thought that was the big motivation behind "abortion rights": to end "back alley" abortions and other unsafe abortive practices supposedly suffered during the "archaic" days before Roe v. Wade.
Shouldn't these Republicans (and a couple of Democrats) be hailed as great crusaders of the public good for demanding that abortions be safe?
I contend that there is little regard for patient safety in this industry - and the liberals who present such public posturing supposedly in support of this "right" care very little for the people involved.
It is why I believe that there are at least two victims to every abortion: the baby and the mother. It seems to me that abortion rights are such a sacred cow for liberal politicians that they are willing to throw away the very protections they claim to espouse.
They cannot have it both ways: either the abortion industry is in great need of regulation (implying that there has been a dereliction of duty for a number of decades now), or the myriad of regulations that currently ensnare the rest of the health care industry are just to restricting.
I find it quite refreshing that lawmakers can expose hypocrisy, point out the destructive economical effects of government regulations, expose the true motivation of liberals and strike a blow against an industry of death - all with a single piece of legislation.
How about the rest of the Union ... are you listening?
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Petty in Wisconsin
I am going to say something controversial here.
The fact that I don't rail on and on about political matters very often in this forum is a testimony to my restraint. Tonight I will loosen a little so reader beware.
I believe that there are some very good teachers in our nation - I am even related to some of them. I believe that teaching is actually a calling. That people are gifted with abilities or compassion that allows them to instruct others.
I also believe that in many of our public school systems, the once honorable profession of teaching has been sold into servitude and is in real danger of losing any semblence of dignity and honor.
Take for example, the teachers in Wisconsin:
Doesn't it seem awfully small of teachers to call in "sick", in order to sabatoge the school system because they are not getting their way?
Isn't it very shallow to stop the all-important education of our children over money? That is what this is all about after all, isn't it?
And what about the pettiness of the arguments they present? Most of what I have heard have been envious little slurs about corporations getting tax cuts or the governor's friends(?) not getting any cutbacks.
I think it is obvious to most of the thinking world that the Wisconsin debacle is nothing but a power grab for the all-too-powerful teacher's union.
It is a shame that we have to lump all of those teachers together under one umbrella - but that's what unions do - they take away the voice of the individual.
Collective-bargaining means that people give up their right to defend themselves - give up their right to excel and shine on their own - to be exceptional. Instead they give that right to others who defend them in the manner they deem necessary.
The constituents are reduced to becoming perennial victims who are trotted out and made to look pitiful every time the union needs a headline.
I don't always know the whole story; but I possess at least a smattering of common sense - enough to know that education is not at the epicenter of the storm in Wisconsin.
This time, it is not all about the children.
At times I think I want Governor Walker to wax Reaganesque and fire them all - but I don't know what's best.
I think how refreshing and wonderful it would be to see a few - just a handful of teachers - stand up. To face their union brothers and sisters and say "this is not what I am put here to do - I am going back to work!"
To hear them say to the union bosses - "you don't speak for me ... and what's more, you don't speak for my students!"
But maybe my perspective is all wrong:
You see, our kids attend a private Christian school. We pay for their education and then we also pay property taxes to help fund the public schools in our area.
I would say that the majority of families that send their kids to our school do so at a great sacrifice.
Most of the teachers are there because of their passion for teaching and their devotion to the students; certainly not for the money or the benefits. Some have taught for decades in the public school system and yet they come to our little school and teach for much less money and many of them plow a great deal of the money they earn right back into their classrooms.
Moms and Dads volunteer, assisting teachers and coach sporting teams. Other parents give of their resources whether money or talent, to improve the facilities.
In recent years, families have sometimes had to pay more, teachers have faced cutbacks and budgets have been tight... . .
...but they all just keep quietly pressing on.
And why?
To be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Many of them grasp the big picture. They see the value of producing graduates equipped with the ability to thrive academically and from the foundation of a strong Biblical worldview.
They are teaching children that God is the source of all knowledge, He is truth and that He invented math. That's why 2 and 2 always - always - equals 4. It is an absolute truth. And that absolute truth reflects the complete and infallible nature of our God.
Armed with that powerful perspective. These children might just be instruments God will use to change the world.
Changing the world .... verses ... changing my health benefits....
...maybe my perspective isn't so wrong after all.
The fact that I don't rail on and on about political matters very often in this forum is a testimony to my restraint. Tonight I will loosen a little so reader beware.
I believe that there are some very good teachers in our nation - I am even related to some of them. I believe that teaching is actually a calling. That people are gifted with abilities or compassion that allows them to instruct others.
I also believe that in many of our public school systems, the once honorable profession of teaching has been sold into servitude and is in real danger of losing any semblence of dignity and honor.
Take for example, the teachers in Wisconsin:
Doesn't it seem awfully small of teachers to call in "sick", in order to sabatoge the school system because they are not getting their way?
Isn't it very shallow to stop the all-important education of our children over money? That is what this is all about after all, isn't it?
And what about the pettiness of the arguments they present? Most of what I have heard have been envious little slurs about corporations getting tax cuts or the governor's friends(?) not getting any cutbacks.
I think it is obvious to most of the thinking world that the Wisconsin debacle is nothing but a power grab for the all-too-powerful teacher's union.
It is a shame that we have to lump all of those teachers together under one umbrella - but that's what unions do - they take away the voice of the individual.
Collective-bargaining means that people give up their right to defend themselves - give up their right to excel and shine on their own - to be exceptional. Instead they give that right to others who defend them in the manner they deem necessary.
The constituents are reduced to becoming perennial victims who are trotted out and made to look pitiful every time the union needs a headline.
I don't always know the whole story; but I possess at least a smattering of common sense - enough to know that education is not at the epicenter of the storm in Wisconsin.
This time, it is not all about the children.
At times I think I want Governor Walker to wax Reaganesque and fire them all - but I don't know what's best.
I think how refreshing and wonderful it would be to see a few - just a handful of teachers - stand up. To face their union brothers and sisters and say "this is not what I am put here to do - I am going back to work!"
To hear them say to the union bosses - "you don't speak for me ... and what's more, you don't speak for my students!"
But maybe my perspective is all wrong:
You see, our kids attend a private Christian school. We pay for their education and then we also pay property taxes to help fund the public schools in our area.
I would say that the majority of families that send their kids to our school do so at a great sacrifice.
Most of the teachers are there because of their passion for teaching and their devotion to the students; certainly not for the money or the benefits. Some have taught for decades in the public school system and yet they come to our little school and teach for much less money and many of them plow a great deal of the money they earn right back into their classrooms.
Moms and Dads volunteer, assisting teachers and coach sporting teams. Other parents give of their resources whether money or talent, to improve the facilities.
In recent years, families have sometimes had to pay more, teachers have faced cutbacks and budgets have been tight... . .
...but they all just keep quietly pressing on.
And why?
To be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Many of them grasp the big picture. They see the value of producing graduates equipped with the ability to thrive academically and from the foundation of a strong Biblical worldview.
They are teaching children that God is the source of all knowledge, He is truth and that He invented math. That's why 2 and 2 always - always - equals 4. It is an absolute truth. And that absolute truth reflects the complete and infallible nature of our God.
Armed with that powerful perspective. These children might just be instruments God will use to change the world.
Changing the world .... verses ... changing my health benefits....
...maybe my perspective isn't so wrong after all.
Lose Some, Winsome
Many of you have already read my wife's rant of a month or so back - regarding the brutality of youth wrestling.
On that fated day, she posed a question to me: what was I going to do when AA had to go up against a girl - yeah! what was I going to do then?!?!? She didn't say that last part but I inferred it.
I did not know what I would do. I would certainly be very uncomfortable with the prospect - as would AA, I'm sure.
By now the news has spread round the continental United States of just such a match up in the first match of the Iowa State Wrestling Tournament. Joel Northrup, a home-schooler, forfeited the match rather than wrestling 14 year old female, Cassy Herkelman. Here was his statement:
It illustrates the importance of a word I have heard bandied about a great deal lately:
Winsome.
Joel Northrup stood up for his convictions in a winsome way. It won over a lot of commentators and bloggers; Cassy, herself indicated that she did not feel disrespected by him; and her father also seemed to feel that Northrup acted with honor.
It is how we are supposed to share the Light of Jesus Christ - in a winsome manner.
I have known some "persecuted" Christians that were not rejected because of their relationship with Christ - but rather - they were rejected because they were annoying.
You can see winsome in the Bible when you read about the "excellent spirit" of Daniel and when the detractors could not counter the arguments raised by Stephen in the book of Acts, whose countenance was said to be "like the face of an angel".
Oh that I might learn to always be winsome in the way the gospel is presented through my life. I hope that we are rearing our son and daughter in such a manner that they would always respond to big questions in a winsome way.
Thank you Joel, for showing us how to lose - and win.
On that fated day, she posed a question to me: what was I going to do when AA had to go up against a girl - yeah! what was I going to do then?!?!? She didn't say that last part but I inferred it.
I did not know what I would do. I would certainly be very uncomfortable with the prospect - as would AA, I'm sure.
By now the news has spread round the continental United States of just such a match up in the first match of the Iowa State Wrestling Tournament. Joel Northrup, a home-schooler, forfeited the match rather than wrestling 14 year old female, Cassy Herkelman. Here was his statement:
"Wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times, as a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa."
(from Associated Press story 02/17/2011, "Rather than Face Girl, Wrestler Defaults" http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highschool/news/story?id=6131909 )
Wow! Many people have remarked about the class displayed by this young man. It illustrates the importance of a word I have heard bandied about a great deal lately:
Winsome.
Joel Northrup stood up for his convictions in a winsome way. It won over a lot of commentators and bloggers; Cassy, herself indicated that she did not feel disrespected by him; and her father also seemed to feel that Northrup acted with honor.
It is how we are supposed to share the Light of Jesus Christ - in a winsome manner.
I have known some "persecuted" Christians that were not rejected because of their relationship with Christ - but rather - they were rejected because they were annoying.
You can see winsome in the Bible when you read about the "excellent spirit" of Daniel and when the detractors could not counter the arguments raised by Stephen in the book of Acts, whose countenance was said to be "like the face of an angel".
Oh that I might learn to always be winsome in the way the gospel is presented through my life. I hope that we are rearing our son and daughter in such a manner that they would always respond to big questions in a winsome way.
Thank you Joel, for showing us how to lose - and win.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
In "Those" Days
When we look back over our twenty-two years of marriage, R. and I will often remark that some of those times seem like another life and we seemed like different people.
In fact the tens years of marriage B.C. (Before Children) just hangs in our history like a distant haze.
Much of that period, I would not want to relive. Struggles in our relationship seemed to come to a head in the mid-90's and - while it led to something of a resurrection for us - it was not a happy time. In fact, things were downright gloomy in those days.
In revisiting those days while preparing for this post, I realized that my life and our marriage were being affected by a multitude of diverse stimuli; many I viewed as negative turned out to influence me in a positive way.
2 Kings 20 begins with the phrase, "In those days...."
I'm still hanging out with King Hezekiah in the Old Testament book of 2 Kings, as I continue my slow walk through the Bible. After the events I discussed in two earlier posts (here and here), I arrived at chapter 20 which details the episode for which Hezekiah is most remembered:
Hezekiah was sick and the prophet Isaiah came to see him. Now prophets and "men of God" were not always welcomed visitors in those days... in fact, I think they were met with the same apprehension one would have had when a famous gunfighter rode into town in the old West. Things happened when they came around. Everything surrounding them was deliberate and definite. This is clearly illustrated in the occasion of Isaiah's visit to the ailing King . . . Isaiah's words were not comforting; on the contrary, they were riveting! He simply told Hezekiah to put things in order, he would die from his present sickness. . . he then turned and walked away.
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept as he cried out to God for mercy. He pointed out that he had been an advocate for righteousness and justice, and how his walk had reflected godliness.
God heard and answered. In fact, God caught up with Isaiah before he ever left the grounds - sent him back in to pronounce that, in answer to the King's prayer, He would not only heal him; He would add 15 years to his life and deliver him from the evil Assyrians.
The sign that God granted to Hezekiah was that the shadow on the sundial actually went backward 10 degrees. God turned back the clock.
Finis J. Dake's Commentary helped me to realize something very significant about the timing of these events and promises. Just because this chapter follows the previous two, it doesn't mean that the events took place in that order. In fact, if you do the math, this near-death experience and subsequent answer to prayer, took place about the same time as the escalation of the threat from the King of Assyria sited in my earlier posts. Hezekiah reigned a total of 29 years; God added 15 years to his life following this sickness; so this had to take place around the 14th year of his administration [29 - 15 = 14] according to 2 Kings 18:13.
To Hezekiah, the mention of those days probably brought to mind a lot of painful memories . . . after a rewarding career - he suddenly faced devastating military defeats . . . he was humiliated now by a people he once scoffed at . . . his nation - and his own household faced severe economic conditions . . . and he was sick - he was dying!
Almost lost in the mix was God's promise - early on- of deliverance from the Assyrians.
In thinking about our "those days" I remembered so many influences that were coming to bear on our marriage. I was very active in the Promisekeepers movement; R. and I went through a vibrant small group study on marriage; people would come up to R. or me - out of the blue - and say they were praying for us.
Though things seemed to be rapidly falling apart, sovereign God was working throughout the situation. Even in the negative circumstances, He was shaping and re-shaping our thinking - changing us.
Hezekiah's story reminds us that our those days can be very oppressive and confusing, they can leave us disheartened and without hope; but God has a plan and often uses all of those factors to bring about the new day He has waiting for us..
In fact the tens years of marriage B.C. (Before Children) just hangs in our history like a distant haze.
Much of that period, I would not want to relive. Struggles in our relationship seemed to come to a head in the mid-90's and - while it led to something of a resurrection for us - it was not a happy time. In fact, things were downright gloomy in those days.
In revisiting those days while preparing for this post, I realized that my life and our marriage were being affected by a multitude of diverse stimuli; many I viewed as negative turned out to influence me in a positive way.
2 Kings 20 begins with the phrase, "In those days...."
I'm still hanging out with King Hezekiah in the Old Testament book of 2 Kings, as I continue my slow walk through the Bible. After the events I discussed in two earlier posts (here and here), I arrived at chapter 20 which details the episode for which Hezekiah is most remembered:
Hezekiah was sick and the prophet Isaiah came to see him. Now prophets and "men of God" were not always welcomed visitors in those days... in fact, I think they were met with the same apprehension one would have had when a famous gunfighter rode into town in the old West. Things happened when they came around. Everything surrounding them was deliberate and definite. This is clearly illustrated in the occasion of Isaiah's visit to the ailing King . . . Isaiah's words were not comforting; on the contrary, they were riveting! He simply told Hezekiah to put things in order, he would die from his present sickness. . . he then turned and walked away.
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept as he cried out to God for mercy. He pointed out that he had been an advocate for righteousness and justice, and how his walk had reflected godliness.
God heard and answered. In fact, God caught up with Isaiah before he ever left the grounds - sent him back in to pronounce that, in answer to the King's prayer, He would not only heal him; He would add 15 years to his life and deliver him from the evil Assyrians.
The sign that God granted to Hezekiah was that the shadow on the sundial actually went backward 10 degrees. God turned back the clock.
Finis J. Dake's Commentary helped me to realize something very significant about the timing of these events and promises. Just because this chapter follows the previous two, it doesn't mean that the events took place in that order. In fact, if you do the math, this near-death experience and subsequent answer to prayer, took place about the same time as the escalation of the threat from the King of Assyria sited in my earlier posts. Hezekiah reigned a total of 29 years; God added 15 years to his life following this sickness; so this had to take place around the 14th year of his administration [29 - 15 = 14] according to 2 Kings 18:13.
To Hezekiah, the mention of those days probably brought to mind a lot of painful memories . . . after a rewarding career - he suddenly faced devastating military defeats . . . he was humiliated now by a people he once scoffed at . . . his nation - and his own household faced severe economic conditions . . . and he was sick - he was dying!
Almost lost in the mix was God's promise - early on- of deliverance from the Assyrians.
In thinking about our "those days" I remembered so many influences that were coming to bear on our marriage. I was very active in the Promisekeepers movement; R. and I went through a vibrant small group study on marriage; people would come up to R. or me - out of the blue - and say they were praying for us.
Though things seemed to be rapidly falling apart, sovereign God was working throughout the situation. Even in the negative circumstances, He was shaping and re-shaping our thinking - changing us.
Hezekiah's story reminds us that our those days can be very oppressive and confusing, they can leave us disheartened and without hope; but God has a plan and often uses all of those factors to bring about the new day He has waiting for us..
Sunday, January 23, 2011
God Loves Bad Guys
It is very noticeable in the Star Wars saga. Darth Vader's presence could be sensed long before he ever arrived on the scene, simply by listening for his dirge-like theme music. We began to notice it even more in old movies; from the outset the bad guy would be pegged by a change in the tone of the background music.
In real life I think we sometimes size people up almost as quickly. Some people walk around seemingly accompanied by an ever-present bad guy theme. Perhaps we cannot literally hear the music but we sense it - sense it by the attitude of their posture, the tone of their voice, the way they accessorize or the way they smell. In our head, flags go up and red lights flash:
Warning! Warning!
This morning, my wife and I had police duty during the Children's Bible Time at our church. Our job was to help the capable teacher maintain peace among these children ranging from the ages of about 4 to 10 years old. As she taught the story of Jacob, I thought about bad guys. Even some of those innocent children seemed to carry around those foreboding tones. Some were more difficult to like, despite their innocence, some may have seemed bent on making things difficult.
I listened as the teacher enumerated the major events in Jacob's early life:
- He tricked his twin brother out of his birthright (a right of the firstborn son that afforded him some awesome privileges).
- He tricked his father into passing the Blessing on to him rather than his twin, the rightful recipient (the Blessing was a legacy-building proclamation essential to the Hebrew culture).
- He was ousted by his family and hunted by his brother - and rightfully so.
Then it happened. I thought about God and how He haunted Jacob's every step; constantly pursuing him - as unlikeable as he was.
God loves bad guys.
He pursues them - stays with them - waiting; orchestrating opportunities to step in and save the day and bring the bad guys into the full potential that God planned for them.
That realization changed my view of some of those "troublemakers". Jesus loves the unlikeable, even the troublemakers. He pursues them in a determined fashion until, like Jacob, He can bring them to their Bethel; or like the apostle Paul, to their Damascus Road. That's where He changes their tune; trading their apparent destiny for the one He has chosen for them.
If I live with that realization in my heart every day, I will not be able to look at people the same way. I will not hear the dissonant strains in the background; instead I will see someone God is pursuing. I will see someone that was worth His time and trouble . . .
even someone that was worth the life of His only Son, Jesus.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Fear- a Path to God? Well, Sort of....
One of the things I like about reading small passages in the Bible, over and over again - is the way that new things effervesce to the surface.
As I was mulling over that Hezekiah post from last week and the subsequent verses that surround that story, something new occurred to me. Or rather - something occurred to me in a fresh way:
God often reshapes the very weapons that are manufactured specifically for the purpose of destroying us - into tools for teaching us.
When I wrote that post - the thing that I intended to stress was how fear works against us and how when it is about to be defeated - it will boast and swagger even more demonstratively. However, as I have been reading the story in 2 Kings 18 & 19 over a few times, I realized that there is a direct correlation between the way fear escalates its fury and the way the object of that fury is reduced down solely to a dependence on God.
As Hezekiah's enemies dialed up their terror, Hezekiah appeased and groveled and practically begged for deliverance. Finally, as if at a last resort - he directly asked God for help.
As you read through those two chapters, you will notice that Hezekiah's trouble began when he stopped making his periodic extortion payments to the king of Assyria. Eventually, the Assyrian army finished off Israel; that's when they turned to Judah and destroyed many of her cities.
That got Hezekiah's attention and he became fearful - look at how he responds - he tried to appease the Assyrians: told them to name their price and he would pay.
They did and he did, but then they decided it wasn't enough. That's when the king of Assyrian tried to notch up the terror by sending some military leaders with scary titles like "The Tartan", "The Rabsaris" and "The Rabshekah".
They taunted Hezekiah, taunted his entourage, taunted the people of Judah and taunted the God of Judah.
At this point, Hezekiah was reduced. He had foolishly hoped for mercy at the hands of tyrants.
As often is the case -even with us today- he turned to God when all of his own devices failed. He sent for the prophet Isaiah and asked him to pray for them.
Have you encountered people who are at that stage? They ask for prayer but aren't quite ready to pray themselves. Perhaps fear has just beaten them down so, that they don't feel their own prayers would be effective.
Isaiah prayed and sent an encouraging word to Hezekiah - the "Rabshekah"et al would hear a rumor and leave.
That's what they did. They heard the king was having trouble with some neighbors in their own land so they pulled out.
It is often at the point of defeat that fear will become even more threatening - like the snarling of some wild animal backed into a corner.
The Assyrians seemed to sense the relief their leaving brought to the people of Judah - and they seemed to know what God had said. So through clenched teeth they pointedly advised Hezekiah not to think this was the end . . . he shouldn't believe that this "coincidence" meant that God was saving this people.
The threats had their intended effect. I imagine it resulted in a cold chill down Hezekiah's spine.
Someone has said that Satan, God's enemy, always goes too far.
This last menacing advice drove Hezekiah right to the place God intended.
He went directly to God - himself. Hezekiah poured out his problems to God and quickly, God responded.
God's promise was certain ... the Assyrians would leave they way they came, they would not shoot one arrow toward the city, they would not even begin to build a siege mound on the city's wall; they would return they same way they came and never bother Hezekiah again.
And that's just what happened.
As someone who has been many times beaten up by fear, I am learning to recognize it.
And I know (in my head at least) that the best solution when I encounter fear is to run to Christ first.
I am still working on getting that knowledge from my head down into my heart . . .
. . .and even further down into my feet.
As I was mulling over that Hezekiah post from last week and the subsequent verses that surround that story, something new occurred to me. Or rather - something occurred to me in a fresh way:
God often reshapes the very weapons that are manufactured specifically for the purpose of destroying us - into tools for teaching us.
When I wrote that post - the thing that I intended to stress was how fear works against us and how when it is about to be defeated - it will boast and swagger even more demonstratively. However, as I have been reading the story in 2 Kings 18 & 19 over a few times, I realized that there is a direct correlation between the way fear escalates its fury and the way the object of that fury is reduced down solely to a dependence on God.
As Hezekiah's enemies dialed up their terror, Hezekiah appeased and groveled and practically begged for deliverance. Finally, as if at a last resort - he directly asked God for help.
As you read through those two chapters, you will notice that Hezekiah's trouble began when he stopped making his periodic extortion payments to the king of Assyria. Eventually, the Assyrian army finished off Israel; that's when they turned to Judah and destroyed many of her cities.
That got Hezekiah's attention and he became fearful - look at how he responds - he tried to appease the Assyrians: told them to name their price and he would pay.
They did and he did, but then they decided it wasn't enough. That's when the king of Assyrian tried to notch up the terror by sending some military leaders with scary titles like "The Tartan", "The Rabsaris" and "The Rabshekah".
They taunted Hezekiah, taunted his entourage, taunted the people of Judah and taunted the God of Judah.
At this point, Hezekiah was reduced. He had foolishly hoped for mercy at the hands of tyrants.
As often is the case -even with us today- he turned to God when all of his own devices failed. He sent for the prophet Isaiah and asked him to pray for them.
Have you encountered people who are at that stage? They ask for prayer but aren't quite ready to pray themselves. Perhaps fear has just beaten them down so, that they don't feel their own prayers would be effective.
Isaiah prayed and sent an encouraging word to Hezekiah - the "Rabshekah"et al would hear a rumor and leave.
That's what they did. They heard the king was having trouble with some neighbors in their own land so they pulled out.
It is often at the point of defeat that fear will become even more threatening - like the snarling of some wild animal backed into a corner.
The Assyrians seemed to sense the relief their leaving brought to the people of Judah - and they seemed to know what God had said. So through clenched teeth they pointedly advised Hezekiah not to think this was the end . . . he shouldn't believe that this "coincidence" meant that God was saving this people.
The threats had their intended effect. I imagine it resulted in a cold chill down Hezekiah's spine.
Someone has said that Satan, God's enemy, always goes too far.
This last menacing advice drove Hezekiah right to the place God intended.
He went directly to God - himself. Hezekiah poured out his problems to God and quickly, God responded.
God's promise was certain ... the Assyrians would leave they way they came, they would not shoot one arrow toward the city, they would not even begin to build a siege mound on the city's wall; they would return they same way they came and never bother Hezekiah again.
And that's just what happened.
As someone who has been many times beaten up by fear, I am learning to recognize it.
And I know (in my head at least) that the best solution when I encounter fear is to run to Christ first.
I am still working on getting that knowledge from my head down into my heart . . .
. . .and even further down into my feet.
Back on the Wheel
*Programming Note*
My posts have suddenly become sluggish in regard to the speed with which they are being processed, manufactured and distributed.
This is due to the fact that I am officially "back on the wheel"...
The activity level and the pace do not show signs of letting up until some time around mid February.
My posts have suddenly become sluggish in regard to the speed with which they are being processed, manufactured and distributed.
This is due to the fact that I am officially "back on the wheel"...
The activity level and the pace do not show signs of letting up until some time around mid February.
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