July 2

2 Kings 20:1-22:2

Acts 21:18-36

Psalm 150

Proverbs 18:9, 10

Yesterday we read about King Hezekiah of Judah. The Assyrians were threatening to attack him and were mocking the Lord God. Hezekiah received a letter from the Assyrian, saying that other nations had failed to defend themselves and their gods had failed to protect them and Judah will suffer the same fate. What did Hezekiah do? He laid the Assyrian letter before God and pleaded with Him to save them.

Today, Hezekiah is in distress again. He is ill and near death. Again, what does Hezekiah do? He prayed and cried out to God to spare His life.

Here were two very impossible situations that Hezekiah found himself in. And in both cases, Hezekiah did the only thing that would do any good: he cried out to the One True God, who has the power to work in even impossible situations. There is a powerful army threatening to destroy me. What do I do? Let God fight the battle for you. I am on the brink of death. What do I do? Cry out to God, the only one who has the power to restore your health. 

Proverbs 18:10 says "The name of the Lord is a strong fortress, the godly run to him and are safe." Hezekiah knew that when everything seems impossible, he had one place to run in order to be safe: to the Lord who is a strong fortress.

We should be thankful because we are loved and cared for by the same God who rescued Hezekiah from the powerful Assyrian army and who restored him from the brink of death. No matter what impossible situation we may be facing, we have a loving powerful God who we can always turn to. He is a strong fortress and the only place where we are safe.