To Whom shall we turn?

Just a couple of weeks ago, dear friends of our, in Scotland, received the news that their 26-year-old daughter was in intensive care, as she had been diagnosed with DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis – nobody knew that she was diabetic!). Regretfully, she then developed Covid-19, and was put on a ventilator and into an induced coma. Praise God, she is now on her way to a full recovery, but my wife and I can understand a little of what those parents have gone, and are going, through as it is only a few years since we were informed by our younger daughter that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

I wonder if you have ever received news that was so alarming that it cut you to the core? News that so overwhelmed you to the point that you didn't know what to do? Almost certainly each of us has, at some time, received news that left us distressed, and even devastated, to the point that our world felt as if it had simply dropped out from under us. The questions we must answer in these moments are: "Where will we turn?" and "What will we do?" in the light of this news.

In II Kings 19:1-19 (please look up, and read!), we discover that king Hezekiah has just received horrific news from the officials whom he had dispatched to negotiate with Assyria. (v.1). However, instead of curling up into a ball, or reaching out to some of the other surrounding nations for help, Hezekiah turns to the only Person, and the only Source of strength that he can imagine might offer some form of aid in the light of the nation's bleak circumstances - Almighty God, and His prophet, Isaiah (vs. 2-7). 

Reading on, however, we begin to see how the prophecy from God will play out in undermining the king of Assyria (vs.8-9). We also see that Sennacherib is all the more determined to shake the faith of Hezekiah and the people of Judah, in their God (vs.10-13). Once again, Hezekiah's response is to turn to the only One Whom he knows might offer a way out of this situation - Almighty God.

Each of us will, undoubtedly, face overwhelming odds, and situations, at different times in our lives. Similarly, we will each be faced with answering the questions:  "Where will we turn?" and "What will we do?", in the light of our circumstances. The example of Hezekiah must surely serve as an illustration that no person can be there for us; nothing can save or deliver us; other than the Lord, our God.

He is our Certainty in uncertain times.