our God is a merciful God.

because of the sins of Israel, God pronounced judgment on the nation - 2 Kings 22:17 "Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made, [a] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched."

but with a single, sincere prayer from King Josiah, God withheld this dreadful judgment - 2 Kings 22:19 "Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD."

King Josiah's respoonse - 2 Kings 23:3 "The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD -to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant."

i think its a simple thing that the Lord requires of us. when we make our mistakes and sin, He wants a broken and contrite spirit, a repentant heart and sincere prayers (but of course this privilege must not be abused! its not a license to sin). but what struck me most about this sequence of events is how King Josiah took the time to renew Judah's covenant with God. He took the time to re-pledge his people to the Lord -- just what many of us need to do. re-pledge our hearts, our minds, our spirits, our lives into the hands of Him Who created us.

i visited lake louise today, and it was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. im just too lazy to upload any photos now. on the way there in the car, the song 'indescribable' by chris tomlin came on (the very cool 88.9 fm Christian channel!) and it just reminded me of what an awe-inspiring God we have. a God that is indescribable, uncontainable, unchangeable, incomparable.

today is one of those days when i sit here and type, and know this, with all of my heart. and though in my humanness i might forget, i know that there will be a star somewhere, a glimmer of sunshine, or the coolness of night that will remind me. (:

God is good!