Contemplations

LIFE + 15 YEARS (2 Kings 20, Isa. 38)  Hezekiah was the best of kings, So the LORD gave him success. He worshiped the Lord and kept His commands; And he ruled with great finesse.  Then one day he became ill; He was at the point of death. When Isaiah, the prophet, spoke to him, He was ready to draw his last breath.  He was told “Put your house in order, Because you are going to die.” When told he would not recover, Hezekiah questioned why.  He turned his face to the wall, While grieving his coming demise. Then he asked the Lord to remember, The good he had done in God’s eyes.  The Lord spoke to Isaiah, While Hezekiah bitterly wept. God told Isaiah to tell him, That He would intercept. And that He heard his prayer and saw his tears, So would agree to remove his strife. In three days he was to go to the temple, Where fifteen years would be added to his life.  From the hand of Assyria’s king, He’d deliver him and th

WRESTLING WITH THE LORD (Genesis 28:10-20) Jacob left Laban, his father-in-law, By whom he had been deceived. He took his family and all he acquired, So his life could be retrieved. On the way to find another home, He planned to meet his twin brother. He deceived Esau 20 years prior; Which forced him to live with another. So Jacob divided his family up; For fear of an attack. Tho’ he feared his brother, as it turned out, His brother held his anger back. But before Jacob met Esau, He spent some time alone. A man appeared and wrestled with him, ‘Til the man touched Jacob’s hipbone. The man asked Jacob to let him go, But Jacob would not agree. Tho’ his hip was wrenched, he told the man, “I won’t stop until you bless me.” Jacob realized the man was special— That he came from heaven above. He knew the man could kill him, But he was also aware of His love. The man asked Jacob his name, As he was asked 20 years prior.

  THAT’S HOT! (Daniel 1:7, 2:49, Ch.3)  Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, Were fine young Hebrew men. But when Babylon captured Judah, They were taken captive then. The king was Nebudchanezzar, He was arrogant and full of pride. He built an idol 90 feet high, Which measured 9 feet wide.  The king issued a decree: When a musical instrument was heard, All hearers should bow to his image of gold; The three thought the law was absurd, So the three young men refused to bow, For the idol had no power. They chose to be faithful to God; They weren’t about to cower.  The men were quite obedient, But not to the earthly king. Though their faith was very impressive, What trouble it would bring.  A furnace was prepared for them. And the fire made seven times hotter. When their guards got close to the heat, One could clean them up with a blotter.  Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, Fell into the blazing fire. Their unyielding faith

IN GOD THEY TRUSTED (Genesis 22, Heb. 11:19) Abraham had amazing faith, In a strength that is very rare. His faith would one day be tested, In a way few fathers could bear. God instructed Abraham, “Take your son for whom you care, Go to the land of Moriah, And sacrifice him there.” So Abraham saddled his donkey, Early the very next day. He took two servants and Isaac, his son; He obeyed without delay. They set out for the chosen place, So significant in this instance. It took three days to get there, Then he saw it in the distance. His servants stayed with the donkey, Then he told them as if he knew, “We will worship over there, Then WE   will come back to you.” Abraham carried the fire and knife, And Isaac carried the wood. Abraham never faltered; He had faith that God is good. On the way to the chosen place, Isaac became confused. “If we have the wood and fire, Where is the lamb,” he mused. “God will

THE DAY THE HEAVENS RAINED FIRE (Genesis 18)  God told Abraham he heard a cry, Against Sodom and Gomorrah’s sins. The outcry was great and their sins were grievous, The cities were evil twins.  Then Abraham approached the Lord and said, As though God would make a mistake, “What if fifty righteous people live there?” What about their sake?  Far be it from you to do such a thing— To the righteous caught in this plight, Treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Won't the Judge of the earth do right?"  The Lord promised He would spare Sodom, If fifty righteous people were there. Abraham lowered the number; Expecting God to be fair.  God lowered the number to forty-five, But Abraham continued to implore. God said for forty He would spare the city, Then that number was lowered more.  God promised to hold back if thirty were found, So Abraham asked for ten less. He said, “What if only twenty can be found?" H

ABRAM: A FATHER AT 100 (Genesis 15) God's word came to Abram in a vision: “Don’t be afraid,” said the Lord.  He greatly assured him that He was his shield,  His very great reward. But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, What reward can you now give? You have given me no children; And we’re old with not long to live. The LORD took him outside and said, "Count all the stars you see, —if indeed you can count them, For so shall your offspring be." Abram believed the LORD, For His truth had been made known. "I brought you out of Ur,” said God, “To give you this land to own." His wife, Sarah, was ninety-nine. Though her maid had a boy, she had none. But God performed a miracle, And the couple was blessed with a son. They named their only son Isaac. Its meaning suited him. For Isaac brought them “laughter.” He was everything to them. One nig

THE GREAT FLOOD - A WORLDWIDE BAPTISM (Genesis 6-8) God was mad at what man had become; He wanted to cleanse the earth, So he planned a worldwide flood, In a sense it would be a new birth. In the days before the flood, People did their usual things. They ate and drank and married, And enjoyed the good that life brings. But they had turned away from God; They were sinful in every way. And though they were unrepentant, Their sins would be washed away. Only Noah and his family were faithful, So God spoke to Noah one day. He said He had a project for him; The instructions He began to convey. God’s request may have seemed foolish; Noah was to build an ark. God told him the specifications, And to build it from cypress bark. Noah had never seen an ark. And couldn't fathom that much rain. His neighbors surely made fun of him; Thinking he was insane. At 500 years, Noah had three sons, Japeth, Ham an