Wednesday, March 23: 2Chronicles 22- Promise-keeping God

One of the darkest periods in Judah’s life is sketched in chapter 22. The king, Ahaziah, is faithlessly aligning with the vile king of Israel, Ahab.  This was thanks, in part, to the advisors he gathers and to his mother who is a relative of Ahab.

At his death, after reigning only one year, his mother goes berserk, killing all the royal family so she can seize power and she reigns faithlessly for 6 years! Judah was a mess… not so much straying from God but running from God!

Yet even during this dark time, God was quietly at work keeping His covenant and promises to His people. Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. …, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land (11-12). By saving Joash’s life, God is keeping His promise… a son of David on the throne!

Even in the worst of days, during the most vile of times, when people turn their backs on God, God keeps His promises to His people.

My mind flipped to the NT story of the prodigal son. The father, the God-figure in the parable, never stopped loving the runaway son. He always kept his eye on the horizon looking for his son.  And the day the father saw the son coming home, the father ran to him at the earliest moment of his return.

I think back through my life, even when I have been far less than righteous in God’s eyes, He never wrote me off. God waited and wooed and called and brought me back home to Him. When Judah was in her funk, God conspired to save Joash and honor the promise He made to David.

When God says He will never leave us or forsake us, when God says he will purify us from all our sins when we confess them to Him (1John1:9), we can bank our very lives that God will keep His promises, because God always does!

Bless the, Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless His holy Name. God is so God; far more good than my actions deserve. And all I can do today is bless You, Lord, and thank You, Lord, and praise You, Lord. Hallelujah! Amen

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