The Test
A little over a month ago my wife Raechel blogged on Jonah chapter 4. [ Aug 23rd] The insight she shared was profound. My paraphrase goes like this:
Jonah was frustrated at God's plan and decided to go out to a hill overlooking Nineveh and build a shelter. God caused a plant (vine) to grow over Jonah and this brought the prophet pleasure. But then God had a worm come and eat through it, killing the vine.
You and I can act just like Jonah when we are frustrated by God's plan. If things aren't moving quick enough, or the details aren't clear enough, whatever our issue- we will often move on anyway, and build our own "shelter" (ministry, career, etc.) Almighty God, who loves us dearly, will often allow for these unauthorized actions to bear fruit. But be sure of one thing- this fruit will not be lasting fruit. It will not have any eternal significance. No, instead it will be a token, a concession from our Father meant to satisfy our pride - which, if we're honest- is the true reason for why we moved ahead of God (and built up our "shelter") in the first place.
Deep, huh? Well right around the same time that God was illuminating Jonah 4 for Raechel, he was leading me to the story of king Hezekiah. I believe there is a connection here, and if you'll stay with me it will become clear.
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Chapters 29-32 of 2nd Chronicles are dedicated to one of Judah's few good kings-Hezekiah. After a miraculous deliverance from the Assyrian army, Hezekiah becomes ill and almost dies. But God steps in again on behalf of this zealous king and adds 15 good years to his life. But Chronicles ends Hezekiah's story in a mysterious way.
"And so he exceeded in everything he did. However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and see what was really in his heart." 2 Chron 32:30-31
Right when things were starting to get interesting Hezekiah's record ends. Thankfully we can flip back to 2nd Kings (chapter 20) to pick up the story. - The ambassadors arrive from Babylon and Hezekiah shows them everything he owns; all the treasure-houses, the armory, everything. Then the prophet Isaiah shows up and gives the king some bad news. "All that treasure you just showed off to your new friends, it is going to be taken away one day by the Babylonians. Not only that, but your very own descendents will be taken away into exile. They'll be made into eunuchs and forced to serve a foreign king."
Hezekiah's response (vs19): "This message you have given me from the Lord is good." But the king was thinking, "At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime."
Chronicles says that God was testing the king to see where his heart really was. I believe he failed that test.
The heart of God is a heart we can know. Both the Old and New Testaments describe God's heart as one that looks beyond the "now," beyond the temporary. The LORD's heart is interested in lasting fruit. Eternal fruit. Christ Jesus was God's heart made flesh. He showed us how to live- caring more for our future than for his present. Perfectly in step with the Father, Christ always acted with eternity in mind. But we are often little Jonahs, impatient and prideful, building our own work while enjoying God's mercy.
The question is this: Knowing that God loves you, and that he will even bless you and your ministry (like Jonah's vine)- will your heart be like Hezekiah's? Will you let your desires for this life (full of good intentions) trump God's desire for future generations? Learn from this king. He spent his lifetime doing good works, winning battles, trusting the Lord, but in the end... his heart was off.
God, I pray today that you change my heart. I do not want to fail the test. Lord, I repent and ask for nothing else but lasting fruit to come from my life, no matter what the cost. Help me to act with eternity in mind. Help me to keep in step with you. Thanks for being a God I can trust. You have never failed me before. Bless your name!!
Jonah was frustrated at God's plan and decided to go out to a hill overlooking Nineveh and build a shelter. God caused a plant (vine) to grow over Jonah and this brought the prophet pleasure. But then God had a worm come and eat through it, killing the vine.
You and I can act just like Jonah when we are frustrated by God's plan. If things aren't moving quick enough, or the details aren't clear enough, whatever our issue- we will often move on anyway, and build our own "shelter" (ministry, career, etc.) Almighty God, who loves us dearly, will often allow for these unauthorized actions to bear fruit. But be sure of one thing- this fruit will not be lasting fruit. It will not have any eternal significance. No, instead it will be a token, a concession from our Father meant to satisfy our pride - which, if we're honest- is the true reason for why we moved ahead of God (and built up our "shelter") in the first place.
Deep, huh? Well right around the same time that God was illuminating Jonah 4 for Raechel, he was leading me to the story of king Hezekiah. I believe there is a connection here, and if you'll stay with me it will become clear.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapters 29-32 of 2nd Chronicles are dedicated to one of Judah's few good kings-Hezekiah. After a miraculous deliverance from the Assyrian army, Hezekiah becomes ill and almost dies. But God steps in again on behalf of this zealous king and adds 15 good years to his life. But Chronicles ends Hezekiah's story in a mysterious way.
"And so he exceeded in everything he did. However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and see what was really in his heart." 2 Chron 32:30-31
Right when things were starting to get interesting Hezekiah's record ends. Thankfully we can flip back to 2nd Kings (chapter 20) to pick up the story. - The ambassadors arrive from Babylon and Hezekiah shows them everything he owns; all the treasure-houses, the armory, everything. Then the prophet Isaiah shows up and gives the king some bad news. "All that treasure you just showed off to your new friends, it is going to be taken away one day by the Babylonians. Not only that, but your very own descendents will be taken away into exile. They'll be made into eunuchs and forced to serve a foreign king."
Hezekiah's response (vs19): "This message you have given me from the Lord is good." But the king was thinking, "At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime."
Chronicles says that God was testing the king to see where his heart really was. I believe he failed that test.
The heart of God is a heart we can know. Both the Old and New Testaments describe God's heart as one that looks beyond the "now," beyond the temporary. The LORD's heart is interested in lasting fruit. Eternal fruit. Christ Jesus was God's heart made flesh. He showed us how to live- caring more for our future than for his present. Perfectly in step with the Father, Christ always acted with eternity in mind. But we are often little Jonahs, impatient and prideful, building our own work while enjoying God's mercy.
The question is this: Knowing that God loves you, and that he will even bless you and your ministry (like Jonah's vine)- will your heart be like Hezekiah's? Will you let your desires for this life (full of good intentions) trump God's desire for future generations? Learn from this king. He spent his lifetime doing good works, winning battles, trusting the Lord, but in the end... his heart was off.
God, I pray today that you change my heart. I do not want to fail the test. Lord, I repent and ask for nothing else but lasting fruit to come from my life, no matter what the cost. Help me to act with eternity in mind. Help me to keep in step with you. Thanks for being a God I can trust. You have never failed me before. Bless your name!!
posted by FREEMAN at 1:33 AM
2 Comments:
Tom...some really good stuff here. Bless you!
hey big brother, I agree with Tara, good stuff-but hard. I find myself asking the question, what shelters have I already built and what do I do with them now?
love,b
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