Remain Faithful to the Lord
Daily Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 27; 2 Chronicles 29; 2 Kings 18
Daily Focus Passage: 2 Kings 18
King Hezekiah began to reign at the age of twenty-five. His reign lasted twenty-nine years and consisted of a focus on returning to following the Lord in faithfulness. Hezekiah abandoned the ways of the earthly kings who abandoned the following of the Lord and sought to restore the faithful following of David. The Bible says that Hezekiah remained faithful to the Lord while he served as an earthly king. 2 Kings 18 provides several critical truths to remaining faithful to the Lord for believers today as well.
RECOGNIZE THE THREAT OF PRIDE, PRESTIGE, AND POWER
As an earthly king, Hezekiah would face the threat of elevating himself above others because of the threat of pride. As king, he could easily see others as less important than him and view himself as a god because of his prestige and power among the people. The threat of pride, prestige, and power continues to plague people today. These three threats continue to tempt believers to reject following the Lord because the temptations attempt to feed the flesh and the ego momentarily.
RELY UPON THE LORD COMPLETELY
The Bible notes that Hezekiah did not fall prey to the temptations of the flesh but instead relied upon the Lord. He understood that the Lord alone provided the needed insight, wisdom, and strength to lead the people according to the plans and will of the Lord. Hezekiah’s reliance upon the Lord battled the threat of pride because he caused him to view himself in a proper perspective before the Lord and to overcome the temptation to think more highly of himself than he should. Today, we must strive to rely upon the Lord completely. He alone provides the needed strength, wisdom, and insight to live in this time.
REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE COMMANDS OF THE LORD
Hezekiah did not view his position as a freedom to live as he chose. Instead, Hezekiah lived a life surrendered to the commands and ways of the Lord. This approach to life flows from an understanding that God uses his children as instruments to declare his goodness to the world. The pursuit of following the commands of the Lord allowed Hezekiah to set the guardrails needed in life to overcome the threat of power and influence. He knew that he must not abuse his earthly power but instead live obediently in the Lord's ways, will, and commands. We must pursue living out the commands of the Lord today. We must be a people living with the guardrails set by the ways and will of the Lord.
REST IN THE GOODNESS AND WORK OF THE LORD
Hezekiah rested in the goodness and the work of the Lord. 1 Kings 18 declares that Hezekiah prospered in all he did because of his faithfulness and obedience to the Lord. The Lord did not bless Hezekiah merely because he obeyed, but the obedience allowed Hezekiah to experience God’s blessing and goodness. The experience of God’s goodness and work aid in the battle of living in our earthly prestige. It means we understand that we deserve nothing, but God’s goodness allows us to experience undeserved blessings.
King Hezekiah overcame the threats that flow from the nature of flesh. He did not allow his kingship to tempt him with pride, prestige, or power. Instead, he set an example of how we must strive to remain faithful to the Lord. Hezekiah modeled the importance of complete reliance upon the Lord, remaining faithful to the Lord's commands, and resting in the goodness and work of the Lord. When you consider your life, would it be said that you remain faithful to the Lord through all of life?
