19 September 2019
Mourning and Mourning Regret
2 Kings 19:1
When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the Lord.
The report the king heard was that the Assyrian king was coming for the Kingdom of Judah. Hezekiah had already tried to pay him off with all the gold from the Temple he could find. That was his idea. But now, he’s out of ideas. He doesn’t have anything of value left. Tearing his clothes and wearing burlap is a sign of utter morning. Is he just mourning the devastating news? Maybe he’s also mourning the sobering realization that he tried to solve a problem with his wealth. Now, he doesn’t have any wealth. He has nothing. But he prays anyway.
This is what separates God from the pack. His arms are open when we come to him. He never says, “You made that bed...” or “It’s too late,” or a nice sarcastic: “So NOW you come to me, aye?” No. Not God. He knows our ginormous failures and what follows that often is deep and utter regret for not coming to him in the first place. The reason I know God doesn’t mock us when we come to him late in the game, or made him our plan B, is because of how this event in Hezekiah’s reign shakes out.
That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there. (2 Kings 19:35-36)
God showed up. He would’ve showed up the first time, but Hezekiah was hoping his treasury of gold would work. Not only am I glad that God doesn’t mock us for forgetting he is our Plan A, he shows up when we come to our senses. It’s never too late to come to him. His arms are outstretched in our direction. We don’t even have to clean up or try and fix anything first. We come to him for forgiveness, wisdom, joy and resolve.
Thank you God!
Thank you for your incredible love that doesn’t shame or condemn. Thank you that we never regret putting our hope in you. My regrets come from when I didn’t seek you first. Thank you for forgiving me, for loving me, and for always being willing to help me. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Mourning and Mourning Regret
2 Kings 19:1
When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the Lord.
The report the king heard was that the Assyrian king was coming for the Kingdom of Judah. Hezekiah had already tried to pay him off with all the gold from the Temple he could find. That was his idea. But now, he’s out of ideas. He doesn’t have anything of value left. Tearing his clothes and wearing burlap is a sign of utter morning. Is he just mourning the devastating news? Maybe he’s also mourning the sobering realization that he tried to solve a problem with his wealth. Now, he doesn’t have any wealth. He has nothing. But he prays anyway.
This is what separates God from the pack. His arms are open when we come to him. He never says, “You made that bed...” or “It’s too late,” or a nice sarcastic: “So NOW you come to me, aye?” No. Not God. He knows our ginormous failures and what follows that often is deep and utter regret for not coming to him in the first place. The reason I know God doesn’t mock us when we come to him late in the game, or made him our plan B, is because of how this event in Hezekiah’s reign shakes out.
That night the angel of the Lord went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere. Then King Sennacherib of Assyria broke camp and returned to his own land. He went home to his capital of Nineveh and stayed there. (2 Kings 19:35-36)
God showed up. He would’ve showed up the first time, but Hezekiah was hoping his treasury of gold would work. Not only am I glad that God doesn’t mock us for forgetting he is our Plan A, he shows up when we come to our senses. It’s never too late to come to him. His arms are outstretched in our direction. We don’t even have to clean up or try and fix anything first. We come to him for forgiveness, wisdom, joy and resolve.
Thank you God!
Thank you for your incredible love that doesn’t shame or condemn. Thank you that we never regret putting our hope in you. My regrets come from when I didn’t seek you first. Thank you for forgiving me, for loving me, and for always being willing to help me. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
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