Saturday 27 August

2 Chronicles 29:1-31:1

Old Hezzie doesn’t really get the credit he’s due.  He was a flipping legend and yet we hardly hear a word about him.  There are three things he did that show he really knew his God.  First was his prayer for pardon in 30:18-20.  Hezekiah’s bias was towards welcoming people in; he looked for excuses to be inclusive.  That is so much the heart of our God.  He loves to show us mercy.  Second was how Hezekiah encouraged the Levites in 30:22.  It’s easy to pick fault.  I do it all the time.  But the heart of God is for us not against us; it is to encourage, not to condemn.  The really encouraging people are the ones who show us the Father.  And, third was his provision of the bulls, sheep and goats for the people in 30:24.  To donate a small farm-load like that cannot have been without its cost.  But Hezekiah was inspired by his generous God.  Generosity, encouragement and mercy - they are three attributes I’m going to pray for.  They are three personality traits I really want to develop.

2 Corinthians 1:12-22

This passage feels a little random.  I guess Paul must have worried that he appeared flighty or that his failure to visit Corinth would be seen as lack of care.  But, as so often happens with Paul, the relatively plodding sentence that he begins to explain this suddenly turns into a ripsnorting, bucking stallion of a phrase, foaming at the mouth with truth.  And the truth glories in our grace.  Whether we are slightly wayward church-goers (the Corinthians) or dynamic apostles filled with power (Paul) we have all been anointed by God.  We have all had his seal of ownership set on us.  We all have the guarantee of what is to come.  And that is what astounds me and invigorates me time and time again and this faith that I have.  It is grace through and through.  It is all about God’s work and not at all about our religion.  We all stand shoulder to shoulder, recipients of untold mercy, recipients of the Spirit, recipients of His promises.  It is him who makes us stand firm - it does not depend on our capability or flair.  It is Him who has achieved it all, who offers it all and who assures it all.  It is him who calls us and empowers us and will fully welcome us when our time in this life is done.  It is so, so far from tedious obligations, it is so, so far from arrogant manipulations.  It is just grace.  Just grace for us to receive and to enjoy and to share.  Our God is always faithful.  And his word to us is “Yes”.

Psalm 103:13-22

“From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him”.