A Life Lesson from King Uzziah

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with everything that his father Amaziah had done. He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him successful. 

- 2 Chronicles 26: 3-5.

King Uzziah had great success during his half-century rule of Judah. He rebuilt Eloth, the seaport for the Red Sea. He succeeded in foreign affairs in defeating the Philistines and occupying eastern territories, such as Ammon and Moab. He succeeded in internal affairs by rebuilding Jerusalem, hewing out cisterns for livestock and crops. He organized a great army, providing them with military provisions of the latest weaponry. 

How did he come to have these successes? He did what was right in the sight of the LORD. He sought God's counsel, listened to godly men, and feared the LORD. 

But then he grew proud in himself, taking credit for God's work. He forsook his faithful trust in the LORD and usurped the priests' authority. He opposed the godly men who confronted him. As a result of his pride, leprosy grew on his forehead - a symbol of his "unclean" mind. He spent the rest of his life in seclusion, separated from his family and friends. Isolation prevailed even in his death, for on his tomb is written the words: "DO NOT OPEN."

In my own life, I can't boast about rebuilding a deep-water seaport, or conquering a mighty army, or providing sustenance for animals, plants, or humans. Assembling an electric fan I bought seemed an arduous task. I've often had to call on friends or handymen to help me with even the smallest of projects, so this small achievement tempted me to express my pride. "Look what I did!" 

I read and re-read the instructions and put the pieces together according to what I thought the manual said. The largest piece refused to be assembled. I realized I had to ask the LORD for help. After a short prayer, I re-examined the the piece I held in my hand. Turning it upside-down, I laughed out loud at myself. It slid right into place and allowed me to secure it with the provided bolt. Voilà! 

Assembling an electric fan is a small part of a larger life lesson. If I can give God the glory for this simple achievement, then shouldn't I give Him the glory for EVERY accomplishment? 

Thank You, dear LORD, for Your long-suffering patience with me, and for Your help in all that I accomplish. May everything I do bring glory to You. - Amen

Announcing a Debut Novel - FRESH SCARS

I am proud to announce the upcoming release of my friend Donna Mumma's debut novel, Fresh Scars.

This will no doubt be the first of many of her deeply moving writing accomplishments.

Fresh Scars is available for pre-order. 

Why Did Jesus Walk on Water?

In this new post, I want to share with you my sermon notes from Dr. Jonathan Murphy's message at Bayside Community Church in Tampa on March 14, 2021. Dr. Murphy's teaching is always profound.

Jesus ordered His disciples to leave, to go to their boat and set sail so they wouldn't be infected by the trend of the people to sabotage God's plans. They wanted to proclaim Him king right then, and not wait for His time. 

The disciples were alone in the dark with an approaching storm. They strained with their oars in exhaustion against the violent wind and waves. Fear compounded their colossal struggle.

Question #1 - Why did Jesus walk on water?

The sea is a picture of chaos and death. According to Job 9:8 and Psalm 77:19-20, only God can walk on water. For Jesus to walk calmly on the raging sea identified and declared Himself as God in the flesh.

Question #2 - Why did Jesus intend to pass them by?

In Exodus 33:13, God hid Moses in the cleft of a rock and passed by him in His revelation to Moses. In 1 Kings 19, God passed by Elijah to reveal Himself to the prophet. For Jesus to pass them by also identified and declared Himself as God in the flesh.

When the disciples realized they weren't seeing a ghost, Jesus further proclaimed His divinity with his "I AM" statement. (Exodus 34) This answered the disciples' question in Mark 4:39-41. 

Just as the sea is the picture of death, the mountain top is symbolic of God's presence (Exodus 19:11). From His high place, He sees us in our struggles, straining against the winds and waves of life's storms, and comes to us.

We are God's children. He loves us, though He lets us struggle. Sometimes straining at the oars builds muscles...and character. And Jesus, God in the flesh, walks on our stormy seas to take our burdens upon Himself. Trust in Him.