Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another – showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 The Message.

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. Psalm 18:28.

Reading our chapter, 2 Chronicles 22, was difficult because the names are foreign, the times so distant and I’m reading history of what was. What possible good could it do me? It’s important because people just like me lived through those times. The next king, Ahaziah, reigned one year. He went his own way just like Ahab and just like Athaliah, the kings mother…daughter of Ahab. When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. v. 10.

Yesterday in our Discipleship class before church, we watched the episode in The Chosen, Season 2 Episode 3, where the disciples were sitting around the campfire as Jesus was involved in healing the masses who came to him in need of healing. It took time and evening was descending after a long day. Their conversation turned on a dime when Peter confronted Matthew, the former tax collector, and he angrily declared he couldn’t forgive him, he would NEVER forgive him for the pain Matthew caused him and his own people. A depiction of what could have been the dynamic between the disciples. We know from scripture that the tax collectors were hated by their own people for working for the enemy, Rome. Yet, Jesus chose who He chose.

How many times do we declare I will never forgive them/that?

Right after that declaration, Jesus wearily returned to his own tent, spent. There were no more words around the campfire.

Now, imagine all the people who have ever lived. What hope is there amidst all of that hate and lives torn by violence emotionally or physically? God reminded me this morning in prayer that life without Him is hard. I have chosen a better way with Him and it is good. Dwell with Him in the peace of knowing His perfect will for me. With all He has done for me, how can I doubt the love He has for each one of us? We are each of us in need of His healing.

What is my hope within? My Creator God who loves.