A Top-Notch Fellow

What exactly does it take to get on God’s good side? While this seems a little self-serving, let’s be honest, that’s what we all want.

In today’s devotional reading it reveals one such fellow, Hezekiah.

“He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went” (2 Kings 18:5-7)

When Hezekiah became the King his first official act was to reopen the Temple’s doors and brought back the priests and Levites to minster to the Lord, where all of Judea came bowing down in worship (2 Chronicles 29).

It says that Hezekiah did right in the sight of the Lord, and continued by tearing down the false places of worship, even the bronze serpent Moses had made because they began to worship it (2 Kings 18:3-4).

What we see as being necessary to get on God’s good side is to obey His word, to humble ourselves in our worship of Him, to keep and follow His commandments, and holding fast to our relationship we have with Him.

Okay, how well are you doing?

If you’re like me, not as good as we would like. But then I look at Hezekiah, and while he did a lot of good things, he also messed up as well. In his pride he showed the ambassadors from Babylon all the wealth of Jerusalem, which was the beginning of the end of Jerusalem and Judea.

Yes we all mess up, and some of the mess-ups are worse than others, but we have a gracious and merciful God who will forgive is we turn and repent.

To the women caught in adultery Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:11).