365 Reflections

Fresh off his healing, Hezekiah makes a huge mistake that will cost the nation of Judah its existence. Envoys from Babylon, the second up and coming nation of the age, are sent to examine the doings of Israel. When they meet Hezekiah he is more than willing to open the entire treasure to them.  2 Kings 20:12–13 (ESV) At that time Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13 And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. This moment is so exhausting. Hezekiah should know better than to let a foreign nation know what Israel has in their storehouse. He invites disaster. But his mistake illustrates a condition of the human heart to which we are all susceptible. When we exper...

1 Samuel 31:4 (ESV)   Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. Saul is a picture for us of a man who increasingly loved only one person - Himself. He would have killed his son if it propelled his status. He sought to kill David who challenged his fame. For a man who was hiding in the baggage at his humble beginnings, he definitely overcame any self-consciousness to become completely enamored with himself. Perhaps this is the warning to us of Saul's life. We may think we are not susceptible to the appeal of fame or acclaim. It's easy to judge celebrities for their self-interested lifestyles when you aren't one. But the draw toward affirmation from our contemporaries is strong in all of us. If we aren't careful, we will follow the path of Saul. We...