Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped. 2^nd Chronicles 29:30 (ESV)

When God is Enough

In past devotional thoughts I've talked about the kings of Israel and Judah.  Only 5 kings of Judah obeyed and served the Yahweh. Sadly to say though some of the 5 who began serving Him later fell into apostasy.

One king who stayed the course of righteous obedience to the end of his life was the 13th king, Hezekiah. He is considered a very righteous king by the author of the books of First and Second Kings and is one of the most prominent kings of the Bible. He is also in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:9-10). He loved the Lord with his whole heart (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37) and God blessed him and the land of Judah because of it.

Today many people, without the church and many within, look at the commandments of God and His Son with a laid back outlook and treat them mostly as statements to be questioned or even totally ignored. Why practice them? 'Obey' to many is a four letter word or they have such a low opinion and perspective of God they can ask “What's in it for me?”

Well, let's take a look at the advantages of obedience. Obedience leads to glory, honor, and immortality (Romans 2:6-8). It leads to being blessed (Luke 11:28). Christ has called us to it (John 14:15). It is an act of worship (Romans 12:1). God rewards obedience (Genesis 22:18, Exodus 19:5, Luke 11:28, James 1:22-25). It proves our love (1^st John 5:2-3, 2^nd John 6). It demonstrates faith (1^st John 2:3-6). It is better than sacrifice (1^st Samuel 15:22-23) and through it we experience the blessing of holy living (Psalm 119:1-8, Isaiah 48:17-19).

David said “I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, for I find my delight in Your commandments, which I love” (Psalm 119:47). Desiring to truly know God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in all His power, glory, and active attributes can bring the purest delight to every aspect of our being. When we have nothing left but God and we gladly bow down and worship, faithful to do His best for us in His commandments, we come to discover that He is truly enough.

Ken