Isaiah 38:17 Surely it was for my benefit
that I suffered such anguish.

King Hezekiah had received a vitally important revelation, one that we all need. The Bible speaks almost countless times of how God uses things that we don’t enjoy at the time as instruments of blessing, for us and for others. Several passages come to mind even as I write. However, our flesh, our natural mind, rebels at the very idea, so we have to take it in hand. Perhaps the writer of the letter to the Hebrews said it best: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) This is exactly the revelation Hezekiah received. The more we rebel against God’s discipline the harder it is on us. That’s something Jesus said to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus: “’Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” (Acts 26:14) We don’t have a good grasp of just what a goad is. Japanese doesn’t even have the word, so it describes it: “a stick with spikes.” Goads are still used in some places for controlling large animals, such as oxen or elephants. “Animal rights” groups hate them, but they are often the most effective way of communicating with/controlling the animal. Cruel people can use them for cruelty, yes, but even the kindest owner needs them at times. God is not cruel. That is one of the devil’s favorite lies, “God is cruel,” but He absolutely is not. However, He uses goads of all sorts to correct and guide us when we are headed for destruction, and as He said to Saul, kicking against them only hurts us. The more we mature in our relationship with Him, the quicker we respond to what He allows in our life and the quicker we receive the “harvest of righteousness and peace” that Hebrews speaks of.

I’ve certainly done my share of “kicking against the goads!” It’s no fun! However, time and time again I have been able to look back and see that God has worked blessing through things I didn’t enjoy at the time. He’s even used my own mistakes and even sin and turned it around for good! That’s not to say that it was good that I made the mistakes and sinned against Him, but rather that He is so much greater than all of that that He can use it for good. That’s what Joseph the son of Jacob realized: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20) As a pastor I seek to communicate this truth to others, but I often get strong resistance. People don’t want to admit that they need to change, and they don’t want to believe that unpleasant things can be used for good. That’s why everything I say and do must be bathed in prayer and motivated by love. God’s truth is sometimes a scalpel, necessary to remove malignancy, but it is not to be used as a cudgel, to bludgeon people into submission. I’ve got another surgery for skin cancer coming up this month. I wouldn’t like it if the doctor tried to knock it off with a stick!

Father, You were already indicating that I was to use Andrae Crouch’s Through It All as the framework for Sunday’s message, and You’ve certainly confirmed it! Particularly as I’ll be delivering it on the 70th anniversary of the Nagasaki A-bomb, I pray that I may speak precisely what You are saying, no more and no less, so that Your words through me may work all that You intend in the hearts and lives of my hearers, both in person and at a distance by electronic means, so that the devil’s lies may be torn down and people be set free, for their blessing and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!