Be Strong And Of Good Courage.

Scripture:

2 Chronicles 32:7-8

7 “Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him; for there is one greater with us than with him. 8 With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” The people were encouraged by the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.

Observation:

King Senacharib of Assyria - the most powerful empire in the world at the time - has his intentions squarely set on capturing Jerusalem and conquering all the people of Judah. Assyria has already successfully conquered the northern kingdom of Israel.

The scene unfolds like a Frank Miller epic, with King Hezekiah employing excellent tactics and strategies to prepare to repel the invasion. Senacharib counters with a propaganda campaign meant to stir up anxiety and fear that will weaken the resolve of the Judahites.

In the speech quoted above, Hezekiah reminds his people that their hope is not in any earthly "god", nor is it finally in human tactics or bravery. Together they put their trust in the LORD to act decisively to conquer a foe that is otherwise inconquerable.

Application:

Today a distant relative posted the following on their Facebook page:

So small, so sweet, so soon!
1972 - 1979
On this date 36 years ago we lost our son:
When God calls little children to dwell with him above,
We mortals sometime question the wisdom of his love,
For no heartache compares with the death of one small child
Who does so much to make our world so wonderful and mild.
Perhaps God tires of calling the aged to his fold.
So he picks a rose bud before it can grow old.
God knows how much we need them, so he takes but few,
To make the land of heaven more beautiful to view.
Believing this is difficult still somehow we must try,
The saddest word mankind knows will always be "Goodbye".
So when a little child departs, we who are left behind,
Must realize God loves children,
Angels are hard to find.

Now, grief is a tricky process which we all must navigate in our own way.
I cannot imagine how much more so when the grief is over something that seems so counter to all the rules of creation as the death of a child. I trust that their family has found some comfort from this wee poem; and, I trust all the more that God is with them, performing the long, slow work of mending their hearts.

So, what follows is not for them. It is not my intention to uphold some kind of theoretical theological purity. What I hope to outline, is the depth of the Good News to which I cling: the Gospel of our Lord that has brought me through the depths of despair time and again. In short, I want us to be clear that we have so much more to offer to people we encounter who are hurting and searching than trite poems about a pied piper "god" who steals children out of his capricious need to resupply the heavenly cherub stores.

Death sucks. 

Death is not a part of God's original plan for us. 

Death is in opposition to life.

Therefore, death is in opposition to God. 

In addition, death often begets fear which stands 

in opposition to love; and so, is in opposition to God. 

God's plan for God's people is not to subject them to 

death, but to deliver us from the many and various 

deaths to which we are already enslaved through sin 

and brokenness. This is why, in Jesus Christ, God made 

godself subject to death for a time: 

so that death might finally be overcome - 

once, and for all!

So, if we are going to talk about God's plan and provision with people who are suffering great loss, let's not gloss over the fearsomeness of the foe. Rather, with Hezekiah, let us proclaim, "Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the [agents of death and destruction] and all the horde that is with [them]; for there is one greater with us than with [them].

Prayer:

Dear God, I know that You provide many and various mercies to those who cry out to you in their distress. I know you have called me to share the life giving word you have first given to me. Please grant me humility and boldness to offer this word clearly without ever imagining that this word is the fullness of Your Word. And, Lord, thanks for holding us so tightly when we are tossed about on seas of heartsickness. Amen.