“And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.”
2 Chronicles 32:31
Hezekiah was growing so inwardly great, and priding himself so much upon the favor of God, that self-righteousness crept in, and through his carnal security, the grace of God was for a time, in its more active operations, withdrawn. Here is quite enough to account with the Babylonians. For if the grace of God should leave the best Christian, there is enough of sin in his heart to make him the worst of transgressors. If left to yourselves, you who are warmest for Christ would cool down like Laodicea into sickening lukewarmness. You who are sound in the faith would be white with the leprosy of false doctrine. You who now walk before the Lord in excellency and integrity would reel to and fro, and stagger with a drunkenness of evil passion.
Like the moon, we borrow our light. Bright as we are when grace shines on us, we are darkness itself when the Sun of Righteousness withdraws himself. Therefore let us cry to God never to leave us.
Lord, do not take your Holy Spirit from us! Do not withdraw your indwelling grace from us! Have you not said, “I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. Lest anyone punish it, I keep it night and day”?
Lord, keep us everywhere.
Keep us when in the valley, that we murmur not against your humbling hand.
Keep us when on the mountain, that we not grow giddy through being lifted up.
Keep us in youth, when our passions are strong.
Keep us in old age, when becoming conceited of our wisdom, we may therefore prove greater fools than the young and giddy.
Keep us when we come to die, lest, at the very last, we should deny thee!
Keep us living, keep us dying, keep us laboring, keep us suffering, keep us fighting, keep us resting, keep us everywhere, for everywhere we need you, O our God!
Adapted from Morning and Evening.
