Read: 2 Kings 20:1-22:2; Acts 21:17-36; Psalm 150:1-6; Proverbs 18:9-10
Isaiah was sent to tell king Hezekiah that his illness would end in death so he needed to put his things in order. Hezekiah cried to the Lord and god repented of his death sentence and told him he could have 15 more years. What would you do if you knew you only had 15 more years? Apparently he had no son so he made sure he did in that fifteen years. He had a son three years later named Manasseh. Instead of training his son to follow after the Lord, Hezekiah was too busy showing off his accomplishments to the Babylonians.
God told him that the men from Babylon would go home and tell the king of all his riches and when he was gone, they would come get them.
Hezekiah did die after his 15 years and his son, Manasseh became one Judah’s worse kings. He reversed all the good that Hezekiah had done in the land and profaned the temple and the people. Because of all his wickedness, God said he would wipe them out of the land, forsake the remnant and deliver them to their enemies. Manasseh died and his son, Amon reigned only two years. He followed in the footsteps of his father and was killed by his own servants. His son, Josiah ruled and he was a good king.
In Acts, Paul entered Jerusalem and was encouraged by what God was doing there. He encouraged them of all that he had seen God do. Just like the man had prophesied in yesterday’s reading, Paul was bound by chains to be thrown into prison because of the uproar of the people. He used every opportunity to preach the gospel so he asked to speak to the people. He proceeded to give his testimony of how God saved him.
Paul realized that life is a gift you can give back. He did things that no one else would think to do with no regard for his own comfort or safety. He wanted everything he did to count for God.
Lord, give us the zeal and courage that Paul had.
No comments:
Post a Comment