Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son succeeded him as king. Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.
2 Kings 13:22-25
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As we have entered a new year, have you looked back on the year past and stopped to consider how gracious, merciful and compassionate God is to you?
I know I have.
For the past year again saw me make my share of mistakes…mistakes that consistently reminded me that I am a sinner who is not worthy of the Lord’s favor. And yet…here I sit and write in 2010…granted another year by our God of grace, mercy and compassion. Another opportunity to be better this year than I was last…just as He granted me in 2009 as I departed 2008.
How grateful I am that the Lord still accepts me as I am and never gives up on me….instead always seeking to mold and shape me more and more into His image.
Yes…indeed we serve a God who is gracious, merciful and compassionate…a God worthy of all our honor and glory and praise.
The same God we love and cherish today is the God of the Ages…the God who the Israelites served in the Old Testament days…the God of our scripture today.
At the end of Chapter 13 of 2nd Kings, we find Israel suffering “through the reign of Jehoahaz” under the oppression of “Hazael king of Aram”. You’ll recall from earlier in this chapter that Jehoahaz was described as a leader who “did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them”. (verse 2)
In response, the “Lord's anger burned against Israel” and so He placed them under the oppression of King Hazael (verse 3).
How long did the oppression last?
Well, as many times as Israel had disobeyed God and chose to sin instead, you would think that God would just leave Israel into oppression, never delivering them and allowing them to disappear as a people. But remember that the God of Israel…the God we serve today…is a God of promises…and He always keeps His promises.
Our scripture today reminds us that the Lord had made a covenant with “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”…a covenant that kept Him “unwilling to destroy them or banish (the Israelites) from his presence”. And so we read where “the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them”…and He continues to keep His covenant with us today.
Friends, have you paused yet to consider how gracious, merciful and compassionate God is to you?
My hope is that you do today…and then continue to remember each and every day He grants you.
May He richly bless you in every way in 2010.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
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