2 Chronicles 30:18-20
18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary." 20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary." 20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
I find in this passage a picture of real faith. Hezekiah instantly knew where his hope lay; it did not come from the purity of the people, or their ceremonies and traditions. His hope was simply in the goodness of God. Much of our appeals are typically based in something other than His goodness. We put our faith in our ability to believe something enough, or in our diligence to confess just the right things. However, our confidence only needs to be in knowing that He is good. Faith is simply an understanding and trust in the nature of God. Faith builds and grows as we allow God to reveal His nature to us; therefore, it can not be manufactured or drummed up by our own efforts to create it.Faith is a natural response to our life being invaded by His goodness. I love how A.W. Tozer speaks of His goodness in the Knowledge of the Holy! Here he states “The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward men. He is tender hearted and quick of sympathy, and His unfailing attitude towards all mortal beings is open, frank, and friendly. By His nature He is inclined to bestow blessedness and He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people.” If we allow God to make the truth of His goodness deeply real in our life, we will find that faith has been born! We can now face the hardships of our life walking in the confidence that our heavenly Father is good and knowing that he will carry us through anything we face. Deeper trust emerges as His goodness entices us to open our lives to all of His attributes.
God is revealing Himself to His people! He is opening the door to a richness of life that only true faith can bring. He is replacing our faith in our beliefs, our formulas, and our confessions with a faith grounded in the unchanging beauty of Him. God is not who we have feared Him to be and He is far beyond everything we have dared to hope that He was. When we allow Him to invade our lives in truth we will taste of His goodness, everything else will start to seem empty as we remain simply hungry for more of Him...
Psalm 34:8
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
