confidence

Where Do You Get Your Confidence

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Sennacherib, the king of Assyria had threatened the nation of Judah. His plan was to attack and capture the city, much as he had done to many other neighboring enemies. His tactics for conquering the city were intimidation and threats. He knew that the other nations who had surrendered to defeat did not have gods that would work for them and against him. He knew their gods had no power. But he had heard of the great God of Judah. He had heard the stories of triumph and success that came with this mighty nation he now wanted as his own. So he had to use intimidation to make the people cower to his words of coercion.

Sennacherib had come for the country of Judah. He attacked and conquered their fortified cities. And, of course, King Hezekiah was very concerned. He had tried to align himself with the Assyrian king giving him all the Temple gold and silver. He thought it a better decision to pay off this evil king and become his subject rather than trusting in God. But Sennacherib wanted more. He wasn’t satisfied with just silver and gold. This payment only emboldened Sennacherib against Judah.

Sennacherib asked Hezekiah what he was trusting in that made him so confident. And honestly. Hezekiah was trusting in an alliance with Egypt rather than trusting in God. He got caught up in man’s assurances rather than God’s, and it could have cost him everything if he hadn’t set himself back on the path of following God’s leading.

Sennacherib threatened the people and tried to bribe them into following him. He belittled them. He tried to plant doubt in the people’s minds about their king and revolt against him. He reminded them of all the victories the great army of Assyria had accomplished in defeating the surrounding nations. And he reminded them that the gods of those nations couldn’t save their people. So how could the God of Judah stand a chance?

The king of Assyria knew that Hezekiah, the king of Judah, had destroyed all the shrines and altars to false gods. He insinuated that Hezekiah’s act of removing shrines so the people could only worship in Jerusalem was the wrong thing to do. He pitted the false gods of Assyria against the One True God of Judah. The one good thing that Hezekiah had done was remove the altars to idols. And he took advantage of Sennacherib’s false insinuations, because Sennacherib tried to use his lies against God and Hezekiah. He insulted God. He told the people of Judah that the God of Hezekiah would not be able to stand against him, just as the gods of all the other countries he captured couldn’t. He was bold in his assertions and assumptions of victory because he didn’t know the strength and power of the God of Hezekiah.

Oh sure. The king of Assyria intentionally put fear in the hearts of the people. He told them that Hezekiah would try to deceive them, all the while saying deceptive words himself. He knew if he could get them to cower before him that he would have subjects who would serve him. He and his men threw insult after insult upon Hezekiah to make the people of Judah wary of anything Hezekiah told them. He planted doubt in their minds. He wanted to terrorize the people so the act of capturing the city would be much easier than facing a slew of strong courageous fighters. He wanted weaklings who could be controlled.

Sure. The people were discouraged and shaken to the bone. They knew Sennacherib and his men had a history of torturing and abusing their captives. They knew he meant every word he said, even though his words were lies. When a tyrant or dictator gains power, he is never willing to relinquish it. He will do whatever it takes to maintain control over his subjects. And Hezekiah and his people had heard the stories of the horrible mistreatment of Sennacherib’s political enemies.

When Hezekiah’s men returned to the palace to present this awful message to the king, the king of Judah knew they were in big trouble. Changes had to be made. And the first change he made was a change of heart about God. He knew the God who could calm a raging storm could also part the seas. He knew God was a God of miracles, and that’s exactly what they needed. He sent one of his men to the prophet Isaiah to hear a word from God.

And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord : “O Lord , God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. Bend down, O Lord , and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord , and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God. “It is true, Lord , that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations. And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all—only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord , are God.” 2 Kings 19:15-19

Through the prophet Isaiah, God gave Hezekiah a promising message of assurance that Assyria would not enter their city. God would defend and protect his people. The city was spared from the Assyrians.

You can read the full story at 2 Kings 18-19.

What are you trusting in that makes you so confident? 2 Kings 18:19

We have much to learn from the story of Hezekiah and Sennacherib. Two strong kings, both following different paths of leadership, clash in their beliefs and leadership styles. One is on a path of obeying God and the other is headed down the path of destruction and futility. One might wonder which leader will triumph, but the real hero of the story is God. The sovereign, omniscient God of the universe who sets the course of all men, knew exactly how to handle this rogue, manipulative king of Assyria.

God knew Hezekiah could have chosen the alliance with Egypt, which wouldn’t have honored God. But Hezekiah saw the writing on the wall, and he turned his confidence over to God’s power to fight his battles.

Satan will often attack us just as Sennacherib’s words attacked Hezekiah when he asked what he was trusting in. If our complete trust isn’t in God, what are we trusting in?

We must be prepared to be criticized, because our behavior is determined by facts which the princes of this world know not. (Meyer)

God is an ever-present help in times of trouble. We don’t need to feel discouraged or anxious because his will is perfect. He has ordained every step of our days, and he will guide us through each heartbreak, uncertainty, and dark day that we face. Each of our anxious thoughts are covered by him. We are not alone. We are never alone with God as our guide. That knowledge gives us the courage to get out of bed each morning and face the day with full confidence that we are surrounded by God’s army.

Just as Hezekiah prayed a mighty prayer of faith, we too have that same pipeline to God. We must know that every prayer of our heart goes straight to God’s ears. He hears our cries for help and repentance. The call to humbly present our requests to God is great because of his sovereignty. God deserves our respect and worship. He leaves nothing to chance. He is ready and able to do the impossible if we ask. As the nation of Judah placed their total dependence on God, so too must we.

The Act of Obedience

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Obedience is a long slow path to eternity.  It’s not always easy when I’m asked to do something out of my comfort zone. Or if I’m asked to stop doing something I enjoy. But oh. It should be an easy act. This obedience. When I think of who I’m obeying. And why I’m obeying. 

Oh. I obeyed my parents as a child. I’m a rule follower. I like having boundaries. Call me odd. But that’s when I’m at my best.  I’m at my best until I want my way. I want the discomfort to end. I want the rewards to kick in. I want out of the situation. And God has other plans. Or his timing is slower than mine. 

I always have a choice. Walk my path. Which seems quicker and easier. Or wait for God to move. After all, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day. All in God’s timing. But what if my timeline is shorter than a thousand years? Do I continue to wait? Or do I forge ahead on my own?

There’s an old hymn that I love. Trust and obey. For there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

So I’m waiting. And I’m uncomfortable. And I don’t like it. But I’m at peace. I’m at peace with myself and with God.

Oh. I weigh my options. I may be faced with surprising choices at some point. But for today, I’m where God has placed me. So I sit and wait. Oh. I’m not doing nothing. I’m praying like I’ve never prayed before. I’m reading God’s word. I’m searching for answers. 

He’s telling me to trust and obey. For there’s no other way.

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. Jeremiah 17:7

When I think of the consequences of disobedience, it’s an easy decision. As long as my head and heart stay in God’s word. Listening for his voice. Because if I don’t stay close to the lover of my soul, the hater of my soul will sneak in to catch me unaware.

Obedience is a daily act. A surrender of my will. A relinquishing of my wants to the divine will of God. It’s a bowing in submission and letting go of all I want. Of who I am. It’s a full surrender of all of me. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Oh. It’s big. It takes all I have at times. But when I consider the cost of disobedience, it’s an easy surrender. 

I have to ask myself. Do I trust God? Do I have confidence in him? Do I believe he will keep his promises? After all, he never lies. He does what is best for me. His timing is perfect. He is with me every step of the way. So I have to trust him, even if I can’t see the path ahead. I have to believe that he will see me through to the end. I do have confidence in Him. Why would I consider doubting Him?

Trust and obey. For there’s no other way.

 

The Good Worker

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

I started a new job.  There are weeks and weeks of training.  My head is full of information and knowledge.  I wonder how I will ever remember everything once I start doing the work.  It is a scary thought.  What if I fail?  What if I can’t do the job after all the training that was put into me?  What if I can’t cut it?

There are so many instructions.  So many steps.  So many complicated steps.  To everything.  Nothing is simple.  Nothing is quick.  Copy this.  Encrypt that.  Make notes of this.  Learn three new systems.  Track your time.  There is so much to learn.  Oh.  The work isn’t really difficult.  It’s just a very manual process that needs to be automated.

I shared my concerns with a friend.  I asked her to pray.  She hears from God.  His message was loud and clear.

It will settle.  You are well equipped.  He assists you and never leaves your side.  Deep enjoyment is forthcoming.

That was the promise.  How could I doubt?  I realize I don’t doubt God.  I doubt myself.  But in doubting myself, am I doubting God?  So many times I have gone back to read that promise.  To steady my nerves.  To gain confidence.  To face the fear.  I pray for God’s mercies each day as I walk into work.  I know God is with me.  With each task I struggle with or accomplish, God is there.  He has not left my side.

What if the Lord had not been on our side?  Psalm 124:1

I have to remember my time of unemployment.  When I prayed for a job.  When I prayed that God would provide the right job for me.  I felt such peace about this one.  This place.  I knew it was where I should be.  I am so thankful to be there.  The company is great.  The people are great.  Now I need to feel great about it.

The blessings of God are not trouble free. The answers to prayer are part of our path to eternity. The work of God in our lives is a work in progress. The ups and downs of daily life are blessings and obstacles that put us on a path to God.  Success is as much a curse as it is a blessing.  Success brings challenges that failure never thought of.

I know God can run my life much better than I can.  His plans are perfect.  I need to trust Him more than I trust myself.  Because right now.  Right now I wonder if I can do the job that he has provided.  I need God’s strength and help right now just as much as I needed His provision when I was looking for a job.  The truth is.  I always need God’s help.  There’s nothing I can do on my own that is done better without God’s help.

I need to keep my focus on my God.  And His strength.  My work has just begun there.  His work continues in my life.  As long as I have breath.  For everything I need, He will provide.