2 Chronicles 15:6

"And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity."

There is no avoiding the consequences of sin. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" declares the LORD, and this verse underlines this truth. Notice that it is God, behind the scenes, bringing adversity to pass. This being so, one must consider what it was that brought God to this action. Certainly, avoiding those actions is wise to do.

Israel, who was so handled by God as described in this passage, had set Him aside and gone after idols. Idols are man made deities to which men turn when they do not retain the One True God in their thinking. It is in the heart of every man and woman to worship something. When they refuse to have the One True God as their focus of worship, mankind will worship something else. That which they worship instead will be immeasurably less than the One True God. That idol holds sway in their hearts, but it cannot hear, neither can it speak, neither can it do anything for the ones who worship it. This is the tragedy of the whole matter. For the God of the Universe CAN hear and CAN speak and CAN act on behalf of people. Those who are His find that He DOES hear and DOES speak and DOES work on their behalf.

So the verse above tells of calamity because of idolatry. Except that you conclude that God is cruel, or harsh, you must conclude that when God brought this adversity it must have had some other goal. Lamentations 3:32-36 tells us that, "… though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, to turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not." His adversities do indeed have a goal, and intended result.

His goal is to get each and every one of us to look Him in the eye. When we do, no matter how guilty we are before Him, we find that there are arms opened wide to receive us. He wanted this more than anything with Israel. Time and again He speaks of how the sorrows of His people had come to His ears. His heart was moved, He had compassion on them. Time and again He brings them out of times like those described above and implores them to look to Him. His goal is always to get them to turn away from their idols. So it is with all of His people.

As we consider the trials of this life, we must always remember that God means the best. No matter the hardness of the adversity, it is always better to trust God. He is not forgetting our sin against Him, but desiring us to admit it, and to turn to Him. His arms are open wide.

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion -
For more than conquerors we are!

His Word shall not fail you - He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Refrain

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

HJK