Faith of the Fathers

"God keeps ever promise He makes. He is like a shield for all who seek His protection", Proverbs 30.5

My little `Promise Box' verse was very encouraging this morning. I have actually had it out for the last week, as I have felt I needed to be reminded of His protection over and over again.

Currently I am reading a series of books by Lynn Austin, mainly looking at the life of King Hezekiah and it has been exciting to see how God proctected him - with healing and protection from his enemies - even when he started to take on the nature of his father, nearly falling because of His pride. Book 4, which I haven't go to yet, talks about his son Manasseh, and it is disheartening when you read the Bible and it says: "Mannasseh was 12 years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem 55yrs and did evil in the sight of the Lord." (2 Kings 21:1&2). Unfortunately, unlike His father Hezekiah, Mannasseh did not turn back to the Lord and "he caused Judah to commit similar sins, as they did evil in the sight of the Lord".

In Judges we also read about how the people of Israel continue to let the Lord down, "forgetting the Lord their God and serving Baals and Asherahs". But isn't it great to know that each time they cried out to the Lord, He was faithful to rescue them.

In this case God sent Ehud to be their deliverer (Judges 3:7-30)- in our case He sent His own son Jesus. So often we live our lives like Mannasseh, or the people of Israel, and we forget about the enormous price that Jesus paid so that we could have forgiveness and freedom from our sins and the strongholds that bind us. We can have victory and joy because we have been SET FREE, but not only that we have His on going PROTECTION.

God wants us to "Call upon Him in the day of trouble." He says, "I will deliver you and you will honour me." (Psalm 50:15).

"Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings in Judah. He held fast the the Lord and did not cease to follow Him." (2 KINGS 18;5)

I think I have found another favourite Bible character. Oh, not because he was so good and trusted in the Lord, but when his pride let him down, and he sinned, he knew where to go. When fear enveloped him as he looked at the Assyrian army, he knew where to go. When he was in the depths of depression and sickness, he knew where to go.

My father was a man like this too - when he felt alone and let down (when my Mum died), he knew where to go. When fear enveloped him (as he faced life as a single father), he knew where to go. When depression overcame him, he knew where to go. He went straight to the Lord, and the Lord protected him.

I thank the Lord each day for the faith of our fathers - men like Hezekiah and my Dad. But most of all I thank the Lord for the LOVE OF MY FATHER, AND HIS PROTECTION. Because of them, I know where to go when I have sinned, am afraid or in the depths of depression.