None of this was by chance. (II Kings 24:3 The Message)
Fear Not… Then Look for God’s Hand
Judah was in trouble. King Nebuchadnezzar had finished them off as a nation. God’s people were being dispersed. On almost every measurable scale, Judah had lost.
But God tells them that no matter how bad it is, God is at work. He is doing His good work. He is keeping all of His promises. And while the promises of wrath were most obviously in front of their eyes, God wants them to remember the promises of restoration, of redemption, of hope.
When our times are troubled, either politically, financially, relationally, emotionally, or spiritually, we notice the troubles. And even after we have learned that God overcomes all fears, that fear pathway is very comfortable. And perhaps we begin to trod on it again.
But things do not, “just happen.” We might not see His wheels moving behind the scenes, but He is at work. We might not see His blueprints, but He is at work. We might not see His roadmap, but He is at work.
For Judah, God was humbling them. For Judah, God was preparing them for an outpouring of meaningful grace. For Judah, God was preparing the way for His Son, our Messiah. For Judah, God was putting them in a hole so deep they could not help but look up towards Him.
God is up to something grand for you, too. No matter how dark the skies. No matter how lonely the room. No matter how fearsome the catastrophe. God’s hand is lovingly at work. I guarantee His work has something to do with Jesus.
Fear not, then look for God’s hand.