After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. (II Chronicles 32:1 ESV)
Fear Not… Then Keep Doing the Right Thing
Many years ago, I decided to branch out and pick up some extra money with my father’s lawnmower. The whole experience was dreadful. I hated mowing lawns. My father’s lawn mower was electronic, with a long, often entangled, cord. The summer heat was almost unbearable. I underestimated the time required. Bees were involved.
But worst of all… the homeowner never paid me. For days I visited him, but he was always busy, without cash, or absent.
I worked for nothing.
Hezekiah might have felt like I did that summer. We’ve got to have some sympathy for King Hezekiah. He could have felt like he worked for God, without payment. He was faithful to God, but still Sennacherib came. Hezekiah overcome opposition to his good policies, but still Assyria attacked. Hezekiah faced unpopularity, near-rebellion, and nay-sayers, still sticking to God’s revealed way, but still, out of the blue, destruction was knocking at Jerusalem’s door.
We see from Hezekiah that faithfulness to God is actually its own rich reward. Hezekiah was not faithful because he profited from it. Hezekiah was not faithful because faithfulness caused great results. Hezekiah was not faithful because it led to geo-political, economic, or international success. Hezekiah was not faithful because, ‘it works.’
He was faithful because he was faithful. Knowing God, knowing grace, knowing truth left Hezekiah no real choice.
God, for Hezekiah, was so great that Hezekiah had to keep serving. God, for Hezekiah, was so great that Hezekiah got to keep serving. God, for Hezekiah, was so great that Hezekiah just kept serving.
Christ Jesus might have felt God was unfair, too. He, perfectly obedient, was killed. He, perfectly righteous, was left alone by His Father. He, perfectly holy, was never paid. But Jesus lived, suffered, and died anyway.
Be like Hezekiah. Serving God is what God deserves. Loving God is what God deserves. Believing God is what God deserves. Living for God is what God deserves.
Even if the Assyrians come knocking.
Fear not, then keep doing the right thing.