Followers

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Those kind of days

Its a day like most every other. You get up and get on with whatever you know you are to do-whether it be going to school or work, watching the kids, doing housework and errands, looking for jobs, following up on your "to do" list.

And then without a moment's notice, your life is turned upside down.

The doctor called and told you to come in, and discovered its cancer.

You get a phone call and find out that someone you love has just died.

You get called into the boss' office and find out your job has been eliminated, you are laid off immediately.

One of you children has been bullied so much and the principal calls and tells you they have been hurt.

You show up to class and your prof passes out an unexpected exam and you haven't studied or been to class in 2 weeks.

Your spouse tells you that they are out...never really loved you.

Or perhaps its a breakup with someone you thought was "the One".

A suicide attempt turns your world upside down.

You can't bear another day without work, or in chronic pain, or children complaining and demanding of you.

You or your spouse is being immediately transferred and all of a sudden you have to leave friends and family.

YOUR WORLD COMES CRASHING DOWN AND YOU ARE LIFE HAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

WHAT DO YOU DO??

There's a story in the Old Testament about a very good King named Hezekiah. He truly was one of the few kings over hundreds and hundreds of years that wanted to follow and obey God. The story comes from the book of 2 Kings chapters 18-19. Hezekiah has done exactly what God has commanded, everything . He seeks God continually and others begin to follow his example.
Then one day he gets word that the King of Assyria is going to come and destroy Jerusalem and offers Hezekiah a way out if he will pay him and basically bow down to him.

Hezekiah has done everything the LORD asked of him. Way more so than any other King in all of Israel's history.
And this is what he gets?? You are going to be routed, destroyed and possibly killed.

Have you ever felt like that?  I have.
I've tried to pursue God passionately. I really do try to obey Him in all things-altho I do slip up and have the occasional "I want what I want when i want it" attitude.
And yet, there have been multiple multiple times when life has come crashing down on me. Just doesn't seem FAIR.

What did Hezekiah do?? He tore off his robes, put on a sack cloth and ashes ( I know a bit drastic for us, but the custom of his day) and goes into the temple of the Lord and spreads out the papers with all of the Assyrian king's threats and promises and cries out to God for help.

This is a fundamental life lesson for me; and I have to admit it has taken me years to learn to do this.
When life throws you the ultimate curve ball: GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE LORD.
Don't go to your spouse, or your parents or your siblings or your best friends. Altho you will need them during this tumultuous time, our first inclination should be TO GO TO GOD.

After all, GOD is not surprised by ANY of WHAT HAPPENS to us. HE KNOWS. HE KNEW.
And HE wants to be there for us. He wants us to come to Him first.
He may not give us the answers of why or when this will stop or how can we possibly endure. BUT HE WILL BE THERE.
His Word promises us that " I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU . I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU."

That may not seem like an immediate comfort. But really it is. Because He also promises to provide us with strength to endure and cope. That may come from our friends or family. It may come from just reading/ skimming thru the Bible-but IT DOES COME.

Oh that we would be like Hezekiah. So that when life tends to blindside us, we run to the LORD and let Him know we need Him...need Him desperately.

That outcome to Hezekiah''s plea? The Assyrians heard that they were being attacked elsewhere and fled from Jerusalem. I don't think that was a coincidence. I truly believe it was a GOD INCIDENT.
I pray that we see and become more aware of those God incidences in our lives.

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