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Always Maneuvering & Manipulating
Tim Savage5Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. 2 Kings 18
6He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: 7“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. 8With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.
20King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. 21And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword.
22So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side. 2 Chronicles 32
7Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! James 5
Two really important lessons in today’s reading. King Hezekiah is an example of one who followed the Lord closely and God protected and provided for him in miraculous ways. Then in James I was reminded of yielding to God’s timing and plan in order to receive the bountiful harvest. This is something that I struggle with because I am constantly trying to maneuver and manipulate events to favor me and my agenda, usually without consulting or waiting on the Lord. A farmer must till the ground, then plant the seeds, then water, fertilize and protect the tender young sprouts; finally after a season, in the fullness of time, the crop is ready for the harvest. The process can’t be rushed; obviously you can’t grow the fruit in half the time, it’s in God’s time.
So it is with my life. I’m in a rush to see results. I want the prize now. I desire to hold the trophy and too often I maneuver people, schedules and events in order to put myself in a position to shortcut the season, the process. My problem is that I don’t trust the Creator of the universe to work it out for me. I think that I am better qualified to guide and direct my life rather than a God that can see tomorrow, the day after and a lifetime ahead. How weak I am. So little faith. I have seen the provision and the miracles, but I default to trying to take control myself. So dumb. I must learn to wait on the Lord. I must also learn to discern His voice and direction. I can’t equate sitting around doing nothing with waiting on Him – right?! How can I be a man of action, while waiting for God?
So Heavenly Father,
That is my prayer – may I continue to serve You in action, while listening and waiting for Your timing. May I be sensitive to Your promptings but not manipulate circumstances to favor me. I must scrub my heart and have pure motivation in all that I do, so that You are given all glory and honor in all that I do.
In Jesus name,
Amen
