August 19, 2021
He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.
~II Chronicles 26:5~
King Uzziah was a teenager when God gave him the throne after Amaziah's death. Oh how many kings would come and go! Some would obey and do what was right in the sight of the Lord, some would completely disobey and suffer those consequences. Uzziah was one of those who ended up suffering. He had it all; God's protection, favor with men and all the provision he needed. Uzziah did do what was right for a time being. We see that he in fact reigned in Jerusalem for fifty two years; "Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem."
(II Chronicles 26:3)
As time went on Uzziah's pride began to well up inside of him. Suddenly he was getting all of the attention and he was surely liking it. This pride and focus taken away from God stirred up some anger in our Lord. After fifty plus years Uzziah was about to ruin all that God had provided him with. Let us think if there is anything God has given to us that we mistreated or used as a way to get attention upon ourselves. With respect to God we will prosper in His way. When we do what is good we receive what is good. When we turn our backs, God doesn't just look the other way, He chastens.
"You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you." (Deuteronomy 8:5)
The Lord began to chasten Uzziah. He sent leperousy upon him. Now Uzziah survived and lived the rest of his life, God spared him in this. However, he lived it out as a leperous man. Why do we tend to believe God doesn't still chasten His own? Why do we struggle with the concept of God being the same today, even as it tells us so in the New Testament? As we turn our backs on doing what is good in His sight, He may not send leperousy upon us but He will become jealous; "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."
(Deuteronomy 4:24)
He will allow trials to arise. He will do all that He intends to do according to His will to open our eyes for us to turn back to humility.
Uzziah is a good example of how easily we can fall when we think we have our place "locked in" according to the time we have known the Lord or have been walking beside Him. All of us are capable of falling into our own prideful ways, deceiving ourselves into thinking God doesn't punish anymore. Honestly, God can do what He pleases. Who are we to say otherwise? The grace and mercy Jesus has is not all that He is. He is all things. Each emotion we feel He is capable of feeling as well. There is unhealthy anger and there is ungodly anger. When Jesus becomes angry in His Spirit we must begin truely repenting and obeying again before we fall into a category as Uzziah once did. Again, leperousy may not be His way of chastening but God will do all He needs to so that His chidren wake back up; "And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:19)
Our faith in God and our love for Him determines how we walk out our calling. Are we going to use it for our own sake and feed our ego? Are we going to use all that we have to bring glory to the Lord's Name?
He wants nothing more then to provide to us. The way to receiving full provision is the way of righteousness. He is gracious enough without us deserving any of it. Let us not lose heart in just how blessed He has made us. Let us not become sucked into pride and end up like another Uzziah.
For Uzziah's heart was revealed on his skin and he suffered for his own way of doing things. He could of just continued to listen and obey God. Seeking the Lord above all is our ticket to humility. For we can not be humble on our own. He makes us prosper and His Spirit bears witness or His Spirit grieves. I pray we are not grieving the Spirit as Uzziah once did, along with many other kings.
Prayer:
Father God, Hallowed be thy Name. I thank you for all the provision You bring to me. Help me to always remember it only comes from You. For You giveth and You taketh away. If I may become prideful in Your giftings, Lord nudge me in the right direction. I desire to obey and respect You all the days of my life. Your ways are just and fair. Help me to give You the desires of Your heart Lord so that I make walk in the fullness of Your calling. I praise You for the opportunity to serve and I long to grow closer to my King, Jesus Christ. Amen.