What hope is there for the person who has fallen in sin and disloyalty to God? Someone has needled people of religion that they have just enough of it to make them feel guilty. But beyond the false and manipulating guilt put on us by legalistic systems, most believers know the struggle with real guilt. Maybe it is a specific spiritual failure, like giving into temptation, betraying a trust, or making unwise choices that hang over our conscience for years. Have I blown it for good? Can I ever get back on the right track with God?

Following King David and Solomon’s time, the people of God suffered many setbacks and experienced the consequences of not living wholeheartedly for God. Eventually, a king in David’s downline, named Hezekiah, was raised up, and he was compared favorably to David, the trend-setting righteous king at the beginning of the dynasty named after him. At one point, Hezekiah was faced with the overwhelming forces of the encroaching Assyrian Empire after they had invaded the northern tribes (called “Israel”), and they were now ready to attack the southern tribes (collectively called “Judah”).

King Hezekiah did the right thing, humbled himself before the Lord, and pleaded for His help. In response, God sent the prophet with a message of hope. Tucked away in the prophetic discourse was a promise we can adapt and use to encourage ourselves in the Lord:

“The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward.” (2 Kings 19:30)

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are part of His forever family, and He is always working in and through us. No matter our past, God will be faithful to us. If we turn to Him in genuine repentance and renewed faith to follow Him, He will make us “take root downward and bear fruit upward.” But we must cooperate lest we fall back into unfaithfulness. That is not only a desire for us, but it can also be our prayer for others.

Lord, please cause my friend to take root downward, that is, to become more and more anchored on and embedded in Your Word of truth. Help him to bear much fruit, that is, to have a tangible impact on what he is doing for You and Your people.