June 30th | 2 Chronicles 28
You're Digging A Hole
When I was growing up, I loved playing baseball. I played with a team that had an outspoken coach. Part of what made him a good coach was that he would call out your mistakes and tell you what you needed to do to fix them. Well, this coach was no stranger to yelling at his players from the dugout, especially the pitchers. I can still hear him saying this one phrase, “You’re digging a hole!” He used this phrase when the pitcher got behind in the count. He would throw 2 balls and no strikes, and the coach would yell, “You’re digging a hole!”
The intention behind the coach’s comment was that the pitcher would hear these words of wisdom and throw a strike so as not to fall behind further in the count, thus not digging a deeper hole for them to crawl out of. The coach had a way with words, and I can still hear that voice yelling from the dugout to this day.
In 2 Chronicles 28:22, the Chronicler describes King Ahaz in this way,
“In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord.”
Ahaz was facing the wrath of God. He had an opportunity to repent and turn back, but instead, he doubled down on his actions. Who are you when you are in a hole? What is your response to the Lord’s discipline or to difficulties in life? God’s desire was that Ahaz would see his sin and repent. Ahaz’s distress should have pushed him to pursue the Lord faithfully, but rather, his distress pushed him to more faithlessness. He was digging a hole.
Have you been digging a hole? Do you feel that you have walked away from God and are in a hole today? Do you feel distress, pain, hardship, and wonder, “Why should I even try to seek the Lord if this is my lot in life?” I want to encourage you today not to dig a deeper hole for yourself. You CAN get out of the hole! We have a Savior who has come to rescue us! However, we must make a conscious choice to stop digging deeper and surrender to God’s will.
In moments of distress and difficulty, would you put down the shovel and seek the Lord? Only He can rescue you from the hole you are in!
