Yuba-Sutter Grace Church
  • Info
  • Articles
  • Sermons
  • Location

The Living Shall Praise Thee (Isaiah 38:19)

1/11/2020

0 Comments

 
In the days of Isaiah, king Hezekiah fell sick. God revealed by Isaiah that it was a sickness unto death (Isa. 38:1). Isaiah spoke the word of the LORD to Hezekiah. He said, “Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live” (Isa. 38:1). Hezekiah then prayed to the LORD. The LORD heard his prayer. He promised to recover him from his sickness and to add fifteen years to his life.
I often thought Hezekiah was to be faulted for this because he did not simply acquiesce to the LORD’s revealed will. Isn’t the LORD’s will always good and right (Psalm 145:17)? Wasn’t Hezekiah overly concerned for himself? After all, wasn’t it the LORD’s revealed will that he should die from his sickness?

But see in his prayer the reasoning and importunity of faith (Luke 18:1-8). Hezekiah made his plea to the LORD. There is a great lesson here. We may know God’s revealed will with certainty. Certainly, we all shall die someday. But do we know God’s secret will? Who can tell if God’s secret will is that we should implore importunately to live? And how shall we live if Christ does not live in us by His Spirit (Gal. 2:20)? Isn’t this reasonable, since God has promised, “Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord [Jesus Christ] shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13)?

Didn’t the woman of Canaan, who was clearly a Gentile and whose daughter was vexed by a devil so plead with the Lord Jesus in the days of His flesh (Matt. 15:21-28)? Didn’t it seem by the Lord’s first three answers to her that He would not help her? First He answered her not a word (Matt. 15:23). Then the disciples made intercession to the Lord against her (Matt. 15:23; Rom. 11:2)? Then He told her He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And finally, He told her it was not right to give the children’s bread to dogs! I am sure at Christ’s first silence I would have given up. But here again, the Lord’s revealed will was one thing, but His secret will was another. It was His secret will to try her faith that He might draw out the gift He had given to her, that He might be glorified by His work of faith in her. He gave her faith. It was He who persuaded her not to give up. She believed the truth about Him: He is ever compassionate, merciful and ready to save needy sinners. Like the king of Nineveh, “
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not?” (Jonah 3:9).


Now, let us draw great encouragement from Hezekiah and from the woman of Tyre and Sidon, those cursed cities (Joel 3:4). Let us reason from God’s word in prayer as Hezekiah and the woman of Tyre did. Let us go in faith to our all-compassionate, merciful God and Savior in prayer with God’s own word (Hosea 14:1-3).

“Can the dead praise Thee, O Lord? Can I live and praise Thee if I do not know Thee? Can I believe you if you do not first open my heart by life-giving operations of your Holy Spirit from the Gospel (Acts 16:14; Eph. 2:4)? Have you not given your faithful word that you came to save sinners, of whom I am chief (1 Tim. 1:13-15)? Would it please you therefore, O my Savior, to glorify your grace by granting me repentance to the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness, to believe and love you, Lord Jesus (2 Tim. 2:24-25; Titus 1:1)? Can I praise you, O merciful Savior, if you do not make yourself known to me from the Gospel and give me eternal life (John 17:2-3)? There is nothing too hard for Thee (Gen. 18:14)! ‘The living, the living, he shall praise thee’ (Isa. 38:19). Therefore, I do beseech Thee, O Lord: make me know your lovingkindness in the low bosom of my heart, and give me eyes of faith to see Christ and Him crucified, and turn my eyes toward you in your saving work on the cross (John 3:14-15). Uphold and increase that faith too that I might make mention of your lovingkindness and teach sinners that they might be converted unto Thee  (Psalm 51:13). It is true, I deserve to perish for my sins. But is it not better that I should praise Thee for your so great salvation, than that I should perish in my sins? ‘The living, the living, he shall praise Thee.’ Therefore, gracious Savior, cleanse me of my sins and subdue them too, that I might see and believe and know and worship you forever and ever, to the praise and glory of your grace.”
Rick Warta
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Pastor Rick Warta

    Archives

    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly