THEME: “TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST, TOUGH PEOPLE DO”
Read 2 Chronicles 32:1-19
STABILITY IN TURBULENT TIMES by Marco Silva
“Even in desperate times, our God proves stable. During Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, and his merciless army threatened to wipe out the people of Judah. Sennacherib taunted Hezekiah and the people, asking through his messengers, “On what are you trusting, that you endure the siege in Jerusalem?” (2 Chronicles 32:10). He continued to deride, “Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?…Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?” (2 Kings 18:33, 35).
Assyria posed a dire threat. The military superpower had already decimated the northern kingdom (2 Kings 17:6–23). But no matter how desperate, no matter how woeful, no matter how distressing our circumstances appear, the Lord still reigns, and with him, we have a sure foundation. During the skirmish with Assyria, Isaiah proclaims, “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness, and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure” (Isaiah 33:5–6).
God himself is our stability. When the unknown twists and turns of life prove turbulent and shaky, God has promised to be your sure foundation. To Hezekiah and Judah’s enemy, Assyria, God says, “Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass, that you should turn fortified cities into heaps of ruins… (2 Kings 19:25).”
However near the enemies of God’s people approach, they draw only as close as our sovereign Lord allows. He determines all that comes to pass, and nothing is uncertain with him.
And so we can face every twist and turn in life, every foe and every failure, knowing that Jesus’s kingdom is unshakable. We can find hope in the seeming instability of our lives and know that our Father is well pleased to give us that very kingdom, in all its durability and permanence. We can find joy in whatever tumult this day brings because Jesus Christ is the stability of our times, today and every day.”
PRAYER: God, you are my stability when tough times arise. Sustain me, Lord.
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