Grace in Every Act

Hezekiah 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. He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses.And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.
- 2 Kings 18:5-7a
 
As we prepare our hearts for Thanksgiving, we want to introduce you to a biblical story about faith, trust, and hubris.
 
Hezekiah had a remarkable kingship. When threatened by the Assyrian army, Hezekiah ran to the Lord in prayer and refused to capitulate to the demands of Sennacherib. Hezekiah felt fear, but decided to let faith drive the bus on his decision-making. And Jerusalem survived.
 
Later, Hezekiah became very sick, sick to the point of death. His illness didn’t drive him away from the Lord. Instead, he clung to God and trusted him. And God healed him.
 
What would you do if you had experienced the salvation and healing Hezekiah saw in his lifetime? How would you live out your later years?
 
Hezekiah’s remarkable faith and trust still contained the thread of his own pride. When envoys from Babylon came to Jerusalem, Hezekiah showed them all of his palace and treasures. He flaunted his wealth. And Judah became a target for Babylon’s imperial aggression.
 
Each season in our lives stands as an act in our play. We have beautiful and terrible moments. We desperately need God’s grace, grace to empower us to make the most of the beautiful moments and grace to repair the damage done by our terrible moments. And this is what Hezekiah experienced. By the grace of God his legacy became, as today’s text says, “one who trusted in the Lord.”
 
Take some time to reflect on the different acts in the play of your life. How does God’s grace shine through? Where do you need God’s grace in your current season?

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