When God Moves Suddenly
“Hezekiah and all the people
rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people,
because it was done so quickly.”
2 Chronicles 29:36 NIV
Life is a teacher of many subjects, and many of us are enrolled in the lessons of long suffering. Circumstances or troubling relationships, worry about the future, chronic or sudden illness– all can cause us to wonder and ask questions. Will this ever be made right? Is there still hope?
This morning during my bible reading, I was reminded how suddenly God can make all things new and bring light into a dark season. Sometimes it’s easy to look back and recognize where God has been working all along, maybe how He has orchestrated events that led to beauty, healing, or hope.
Hezekiah was a king of Jerusalem who, at age twenty five, was doing “what was right in the eyes of the Lord,” (2 Chronicles 29:2). He cleansed the temple both physically and spiritually. This led to restoration of God’s people through acts of worship. I love how the New Testament parallels God’s temple to His people. (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19). Hezekiah’s work in the temple, through the priests, turned an entire nation back to the Lord. Verse 28 states, “the whole assembly worshipped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded.” Pause for a moment to reflect on how beautiful this was-after Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, had led the people in sinful acts, idolatry, and unfaithfulness. The land was in complete disarray (2 Chronicles 28). God called Hezekiah to draw back the people even after they were spiritually dead. This reminds us that nothing is hopeless.
I have experienced God’s intervention by which profound changes were made-suddently and unexpectedly. In the words of my husband “what God changes– stays changed.”
Friend, I want to encourage you that God sees the situations we are living in. He knows the longings of our hearts and He is able to act suddenly. Take a few moments (yep, that’s all it will take!) to read 2 Chronicles 29 (only 36 verses) and either lay your long suffering before the Lord or praise Him for where He has brought about hope and healing in your life or the life of your family. This week, I have been encouraged by Danny Gokey’s song Only for a Moment. Give it a listen and be strengthened.
Would you pray this with me?
Dear Father,
We praise You for how swiftly you can bring transformation, make hard things fall away, and bring hope to Your people. May we have hearts like Hezekiah, to cleanse our hearts and turn to You. Help us to draw others to You through our lives. Thank you for always hearing our prayers and for Your great faithfulness. Amen.
If this devotion has spoken to you, I would love to hear how by leaving a comment below or emailing me tracyarntzen@gmail.com.