I Have Done Wrong

Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay.” And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. (2 Kings 18:14)

I really hate it when I have done wrong. Apparently Hezekiah did too, for he offered an invading king whatever that king thought appropriate as punishment. Thirty talents? That's like 3,000 pounds of gold! The rest of the story goes that the payment didn't work and the invasion continued, but that isn't the point we're going toward today.

The story I want to write about today involves God's goodness. Many a time, I can admit with shame and regret, "I have done wrong." I don't like it, don't want to do it, and really hate that feeling of shame. Nevertheless, the fact remains that I have done wrong and must pay for it. Then, I think of, or better still am reminded of by the dear Holy Spirit, God's goodness. No that's not quite enough: God's never ending, always replenished, steadfast, loving, and faithful goodness.

I don't know how He does it; sometimes I get tired of going out of my way to do good, but God's goodness is always there for me and you. Even in the worst of sins, the ones where I knew better and still rebelled against God our Father, there is forgiveness and love as the prodigal returns in abject contrition and repentance completely unable to repay what he has taken from the Father. And like the prodigal son of our Lord's parable, I find that the Father is overjoyed that I returned to Him. His goodness is greater by far than me.

Bucky