Whom Have I But You?

II Chronicles 28:16–23

“At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help. The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners, while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth, as well as Soko, Timnah and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages. The LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD. Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help. Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace and from the officials and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him. In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.”

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas (Psa 46:1–2).” Sadly, “in his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD (v. 22).” What the king thought to himself was very telling, “for he thought, "Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me (v. 23)?” Sometimes God lets us through hardships to help us grow, to train us, to disciple us, to lead us to a better glory for us to enjoy with Him. It will not do us well to waver in our faith.  We, like Israel, the Apostle Peter reminds us, are a privileged “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light (I Pet 2:9).” “For what nation is so great as to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him (Deut 4:7)?” When faced with difficult questions we may take a few steps back but not go all the way, it’s all right to pause but we keep moving forward, towards Christ. The psalmist encourages us, on the back of his complaints of apparent injustice and seeming unfairness of life—the very questions we ask, frustrations from our heart of hearts; he declares to God: “Yet I am always with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and later receive me in glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psa 73:23–26).”