2 Kings 16-17

(August 12, 2014)

                It is easy for us, in our modern world, to look down our noses at the people of Israel for looking to other gods rather than the Lord.  But it is more difficult to look at ourselves and to see the ways in which we are no different from them.  After all, the people of Israel were being led by those who had no respect for the Lord, and they had an existential fear, for if Urijah the priest had not violated the law Ahaz would certainly have killed him.

                What would we do if we were in that position?  What do we do when we face our greatest fears now?  Do we turn to the Lord, or do we turn to the arm of flesh?  I know that my greatest fear now is one that I spend a great amount of time working through in a very mortal, arm of flesh manner.  Am I prepared to turn that fear over to the Lord, and trust Him regardless of the outcome?  Let’s just say that I am working on becoming a person that can do that, but at the same time I recognize how very hard it can be to release your fear and trust in that way.