Day 171

Reading through the history of Israel and Judah and the cycle of kings has honestly been a bit of a slog for me. I’m not sure what it is, but it is the reality I’ve been experiencing. Maybe it’s jumping between Kings and Chronicles and reading the same story twice in the same day, or it’s just my own heart. Yet this is still God’s Word to his people and there is always something we can learn.

In 2 Chronicles 26:16 we read this about king Uzziah: But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense (ESV).

Pride leads to downfall in many ways. Uzziah was unfaithful. He did not regard the holiness of God and sought to do more than he was called to do or authorized to do. He wanted more. He saw his strength and did not rely on the Lord.

We are dependent creatures. That’s our nature. But in our pride we turn to ourselves instead of our Lord. That is unfaithfulness - the opposite of faith.

WSC 86: What is faith in Jesus Christ?

Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.

The key phrase - “receive and rest upon him alone.” That negates resting on our own laurels and strengths. We must trust him. And we need to know him better through the glorious gospel. Let us labor in that together so that we are more apt to remain faithful to our Lord.