I am amazed how our heavenly Daddy so carefully crafts all the circumstances for us. Then, as we begin to wilt, He sends the encouragement we so desperately need along with it.
I’ve been going through a difficult season. Four weeks of bronchitis and still counting—or is that still coughing? I’ve been feeling pretty sorry for myself. My energy was zapped as my chest hurt from all the convulsing. And it was noisy. Still is, for that matter. And interrupted my life!
Tonight I heard Joni Tada on the radio explaining how she had recently suffered through a lung infection. She couldn’t cough, her muscles don’t work. As she explained how it is for a quadriplegic to live through this, I thought my cough doesn’t compare. But it’s what she said about that time that struck me. Our circumstances come from the Father, through Jesus and then to us—for a purpose. We may not ever understand that purpose, but God does.
I mused about that. So He has a purpose for the difficult or downright bad things, but He also has that sweet, loving side of Him that hurts for us as we go through. Sort of like when we hurt for our children as they go through something that we know will work for their good. They may not get it, but we do, and we allow it.
He sends encouragement. He sends love. He sends a kind word from someone. He sends help.
The other day, I read in 2nd Kings, that when King Hezekiah of Israel received a threat from the king of Assyria, he went to the house of the Lord and spread the letter before the Lord and prayed. He acknowledged God’s sovereignty as Maker of all. He brought the issue before God and his own fears. He begged for deliverance of his people so that all the kingdoms of the earth would know that God, alone, is God.
God went to work and fought for Hezekiah and his people. Hezekiah didn’t even have to rouse his army. God sent His angel to destroy the Assyrian army. The remnant went home and the Assyrian king died there.
All Daddy God asks us to do is lay it before Him. He hears us. His purpose will be fulfilled and His love will wrap around us.
“Then Isaiah, the son of Amoz, sent to Hezekiah, saying: ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: that which you have prayed to Me against Sennicherib, King of Assyria, I have heard’ ” II Kings 19:20.
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