TOKONAKI ME 16, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 32-34; 1 PITA 3:13-17

In a world that mocks the existence of God and his plan for humanity, how tempted are you to doubt him, his wisdom, and his grace?

‘Oku manukia ‘e mamani ‘a e ‘Otua mo’ui mo ‘ene palani ki he fa’ahinga ‘o e tangata. ‘Oku ke tala’a ai mo ke fehu’ia ‘a ‘Ene poto mo ‘Ene kelesi?

Your belief in God will not be supported and encouraged by the culture that surrounds you. News services, social media, and streaming platforms tend to ignore the existence of God, mock the concept of his existence, or promote lifestyles that rebel against his will. Many Christians are susceptible to having their trust in God weakened by the voices of media influencers who lay out arguments against a biblical worldview, biblical theology, biblical morality, and the essentiality of the church. How about you? Is your faith in God up for grabs in any way? Do you read things that shake your trust in him? Has your theology been corrupted by worldly philosophies? Are you ever tempted to abandon your faith? Are you fearful of letting people around you know that you are a Christian and that the Bible is your theological and moral guide? Do you find it hard to take a moral stand? To what extent is your faith mixed with doubt? 

In 2 Chronicles 32 Sennacherib, the powerful king of Assyria, is threatening to lay siege to Judah, so he sends messengers to warn Hezekiah, the king of Judah, with these words.

Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, "On what are you trusting, that you endure the siege in Jerusalem? Is not Hezekiah misleading you, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, 'The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria'? Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, 'Before one altar you shall worship, and on it you shall burn your sacrifices'? Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to deliver their lands out of my hand? Who among all the gods of those nations that my fathers devoted to destruction was able to deliver his people from my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you in this fashion, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand!" (2 Chron. 32:10-15)

These words are a direct and blasphemous assault on the almighty power and infinite glory of the God of Judah. But they create no doubt whatsoever in Hezekiah. Sennacherib's messengers shout out their contempt for God, comparing him to the gods of the nations that are made by human hands. But Hezekiah is not afraid. He responds with an act of faith-prayer-and the Lord delivers Judah.

May God's grace meet us, so that nothing can weaken the vitality of our trust in him. And when we are afraid, may we run to him in prayer, trusting his delivering grace.

 FALAITE ME 15, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 28-31; ‘EKISOTO 34:1-8

Your present, past, and future rest on the Lord's incalculable patience.

Ko ho taimi lolotongaa, kuohilii, mo ho kaha’uu ‘oku tu’u ‘i he anga faka’atu’i ta’emahakulea ‘a e ‘Otua.

I stood in a line at the end of a busy day with just one thing in my hand. I was already late in picking up the one thing we needed to complete dinner. In front of me was a woman with a full cart and a fist full of coupons. Nothing in her actions communicated that she was in a hurry. The longer she took at the checkout counter, the more irritated I got. As I fidgeted, she took her time. The few minutes I had to wait seemed like an eternity. It's quite embarrassing to look back at myself in that scene. The few minutes I lost were not important at all. As I left the store and walked to my car, I was confronted by how impatient I am, how hard it is for me to wait.

I am thankful that God is not like me. One thing that jumps off the pages of the Old Testament, particularly Kings and Chronicles, is the amazing and incalculable patience of the Lord. The entire future of Israel, the completion of God's redemptive plan, and the hope of the nations rest on the foundation of the patience of God. Considering Israel's legacy of covenant-breaking immorality and idolatry, we would expect that at some point God would rise up and say, "Enough. I am done with your wickedness. I will be patient with you no more. I withdraw my covenant promises, and you will face my final condemnation." But that does not happen. God is not like us. He does not act in divine haste. He does not turn quickly from his covenant promises when his people offend him. It's not that God treats sin lightly. No, it's that he knows the only thing that will defeat it once and for all is his grace. So, in grace, he again and again gives his people the opportunity to confess and turn to him in repentance and renewed worship. 

God's patience is demonstrated powerfully in 2 Chronicles 29. After using pagan nations as tools of his discipline and after all the destruction, defeats, and captivity, he is not done with his children. He raises up righteous Hezekiah, who appoints messengers to do the work of the Lord and to restore the temple to its God-honoring glory. Here are Hezekiah's words: "Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, in order that his fierce anger may turn away from us. My sons, do not now be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him" (2 Chron. 29:10-11).

It is important to understand that Hezekiah reigns as king and makes this covenant commitment only because God is patient and does not abandon his covenant promises. That same patience is your hope today and all the days to come. His patience gives room for his grace to flow.

 TU’APULELULU ME 14, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 25-27; SAAME 119:1-8

It is right to mourn our failures, but it is also important to remember that spiritual dangers lurk in our successes.

Ko e me’a totonu ke tau mamahi ‘i he’etau ngaahi fehalaaki, ka ‘oku toe mahu’inga ke tau manatu’i ‘a e fakatu’utamaki fakalaumalie ‘oku toi mai ‘i he ngaahi tu’umalie ‘oku tau ‘inasi ai.

God wastes no words in Scripture. Every part of his word is profitable (2 Tim. 3:16). There are no needless historical accounts. There are no stories that didn't need to be told. There are no unnecessary moral observations. Every wisdom principle is important and life-shaping. There are no poetic passages that should have been edited out of the final manuscript. Every passage has been recorded and preserved by the source of all wisdom, for our benefit. There is wisdom, hope, rescue, grace, and life in every portion of God's word. We should read with enthusiasm, even when the going is tough. We should read with spiritually inquisitive hearts. We should approach God's word like spiritual archeologists, digging into every mound and looking for the artifacts of grace that God has buried there. Scripture isn't a book to be skimmed. We are to meditate upon and luxuriate in it. As we do, not only will our view of life change; we will change. Our thoughts and desires will change, our hope will deepen, and our worship will be more consistent and heartfelt. God's word will undo and rebuild us. Approach Scripture with an expectant heart; it is filled with life-altering treasures.

Second Chronicles 26 presents a contrast in the life of one man. I am deeply persuaded that it is there for our instruction and warning. Chapter 26:4-5 says this of king Uzziah: "He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper." Whenever you read of a king of Judah who commits himself to fear, seek, and follow the Lord, you breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, a godly king rules over Judah. But then as you read on, you encounter another statement of the life and character of Uzziah: "But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense" (2 Chron. 26:16). The words but when he was strong, he grew proud should jump off the page. The success of Uzziah's reign contributed to his spiritual demise. The man who once feared the Lord feared him no longer, arrogantly going into the Holy Place to do what he had no right to do. He grew proud, to his own destruction. Strength, success, accomplishments, and acclaim have the power to change us. In terms of our relationship to God, they can make us feel less dependent and grateful. We begin to take credit for our successes, and we attempt to take our lives into our own hands. May we heed God's warning and affirm, once again, our constant dependency on his wisdom, his power, and the everflowing resources of his grace.

 PULELULU ME 13, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 21-24; ‘AISEA 46:8-11

Reigning above the chaos of this fallen world is a sovereign God whose will will be done and whose plans will succeed.

‘Oku pule aoniu ‘a Sihova ‘i he mamani fonu mamani mo angahala’ia ko eni pea ‘e fakaola ‘a e kotoa ‘o ‘ene palani ‘o fakatatau ki hono finangalo.

Sometimes I tell myself that I should quit reading the news. So many distressing political, cultural, and ecclesiastical events occur every day. If the news were the primary force shaping your view of life, then of course you would conclude that the world is an out-of-control moral mess. From the vantage point of popular media, it often seems as though evil has won. Good people-that is, people of moral conviction-don't seem to be honored, but rather are rejected and dismissed. Entertainment often promotes what God prohibits. It is all quite discouraging. This is why we must make sure that modern social and information media are not the key influencers of the way we think about life and the world around us. It is vital that every day we put on biblical glasses that help us see the truth despite the chaos around us. What is that truth? It is that the world is not out of control but rather is under the firm, wise, and holy control of the Lord Almighty. He has not and never will be dethroned. Nothing can thwart the march of his sovereign plan. No evil is powerful enough to defeat our God, the Lord of hosts.

Buried in 2 Chronicles 22:7 are a few words that change the way you read and understand the history of God's people in the Old Testament. When you read the history of evil king after evil king, detestable idol practices replacing the true worship of God, babies being sacrificed, and kings killing their own to solidify their power, it seems as though God has lost control of his people. Yes, there are brief moments of repentance and a return to following the Lord, but the march back toward evil seems to happen too quickly. Ahaziah was one of those evil kings. He did what was evil, and he led God's people to do what was detestable in the sight of God. In the chronicle of Ahaziah's reign we find these words: "It was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram." Let these words sink in. Ahaziah, with all of his evil pride and immoral power, was not the one in charge. For all of his desire to shake his fist in the face of God and go in the opposite moral direction from God's commands, Ahaziah did not possess the power to determine his own fate. His life, reign, and fate were in the hands of one of infinite power and glory.

Verse 7 tells us two things. First, the movement and success of God's plan for his world were determined before he formed the world. Second, God has the power at every moment to assure that what he has ordained actually happens. So do not fear; it is never risky to trust the Lord. Take heart. He reigns, and he always accomplishes his will.

 TUSITE ME 12, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 17-20; TANIELA 3:8-30

There is no greater form of courage than when you act with moral boldness because of your trust in the wisdom, commands, presence, power, and grace of the Lord.

Ko e to’a mo’oni, ‘a e taimi ‘oku ke fai ai ho’o ngaue ‘i he loto pau’ia, koe’uhi ‘oku ke falala ki he poto, ngaahi fekau, lotolotonga, ivi mo e kelesi ‘a e ‘Otua. 

We love tales of courage. We are inspired when we read of a soldier who puts his own life at risk in order to preserve the lives of his fellow soldiers. We love the stories of people who have suffered through physical disabilities to accomplish great physical feats. We are moved when we hear of the firemen who climbed the steps of the burning World Trade Center as everyone else was running down and trying to get out. We marvel at the stories of bold elderly people who have stood up to thieves. Recently I read of firemen who left the warmth and safety of their firehouse to go out into a historic blizzard to save families trapped in their cars. Although we are thrilled and encouraged by these stories, they often leave us haunted by a question: If I were in any of those situations, would I be able to muster up the same kind of courage?

Courage is something we all admire, but perhaps few of us think we are truly courageous. We wonder where true courage comes from, or what real courage looks like. Second Chronicles 17 gives us a clue. Here's how the reign, life, and character of King Jehoshaphat are summarized: 

The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel. Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. And furthermore, he took the high places and the Asherim out of Judah. (2 Chron. 17:3-6)

For all of the greatness of his riches and honor, the most important thing about Jehoshaphat is captured in ten words: "His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD." Here was a king who believed so deeply in the presence, power, and commands of his Lord that he acted with courage in the face of evil. He tore down all of the high places of idol worship, standing against the entirety of the spiritual culture of Judah, and therefore God established his kingdom and gave him great success. There is no greater form of courage than moral courage. But moral courage is not natural for us. Faith in a God we cannot see or hear is not natural. So, in order to stand with courage of heart in the midst of this idolatrous world, we need to be visited by grace. That grace is readily available to us because of the life, death, and resurrection of the Lion of Judah, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He hears our cries and grants courage to those who seek him.

 MONITE ME 11, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 13-16; ‘EKISOTO 15:1-18

Your Lord is the ultimate warrior. He always battles on behalf of those whom he has chosen to be his own.

Ko Sihova ‘a e to’a laulotahaa. ‘Oku ne tau ma’u pe ma’a kinautolu kuo ne fili ma’ana.

Picture two young boys about to fight. Although they project a kind of pugilistic bravado, they are both more afraid than they would ever admit. So their taunts move quickly from their strength to the size and ability of their fathers. "My dad is bigger than your dad." "Oh yeah? My dad is stronger than your dad." "My dad is really strong. He played football in college." "My dad is even stronger than that. He's a marine." The father-taunts that fly back and forth are both silly and very sweet. Neither dad is going to fight with a neighbor because of some petty quarrel between two nine-year-olds. So the father-threats are meaningless. But the safety that both boys feel in the strength of their fathers and the belief they have that their fathers would battle on their behalf is quite endearing.

This mundane but deeply human scene reminds me of deep spiritual truths. I cannot defeat many of the broken and evil things in this world. So much temptation comes at me that I cannot resist on my own. Even when I successfully turn from evil outside of me, I have little power on my own to liberate myself from the sin inside me. But confessing my weakness and inability does not depress me, because I have a heavenly Father who battles on my behalf. I can look evil in the face and say, "My Father in heaven is bigger and more powerful than your father, the devil." How encouraging it is to know that this is not a meaningless and silly taunt, but one rooted in the truth of God's covenant faithfulness.

In 2 Chronicles 13:13-16 evil King Jeroboam has amassed a huge army because he intends to defeat King Abijah and destroy Judah. The much smaller army of Judah is surrounded on all sides by Jeroboam's troops. But what Jeroboam doesn't understand is that he is not fighting just Judah, but Judah's Father, the Lord Almighty. God will not let Judah be destroyed because Judah has a place in his redemptive plan. With trumpet blasts and shouts, Jeroboam is defeated and five hundred thousand of his men die. And what is recorded of that victory? "God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand" (2 Chron. 13:15-16).

God never abandons his covenant promises, which means he will battle on behalf of his people until the final victory is won. There is no spiritual battle that we fight on our own, because our Savior is the ultimate warrior. He will continue to put enemies under his feet until the last enemy is finally destroyed. Then he will welcome us into his final kingdom, where war will be no more. 

 SAPATE ME 10, 2026

2 KALONIKALI 9-12; MATIU 20:20-28

God makes people great - not for their glory, but for his.

‘Oku ngaohi ‘e he ‘Otua ha kakai ke nau tu’ukimu’a - ‘o ‘ikai ke nau langilangi’ia ai, ka, ki he langilangi pe ‘O’ona.

I watched as a gifted pastor not only lost the plot but lost himself. He had been blessed with a quick mind and awesome communication skills. He was a natural leader. He began his ministry knowing that his gifts were for a much higher purpose than his own success and glory. He had lived with a deep sense of gospel calling and dedicated his abilities to discipling people in the life-transforming truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But he became lost in the middle of his own story. What had been all about his Lord, was now about him. He was successful and powerful, and he knew it. Pride closed his heart to the counsel of others that he so desperately needed. He loved hanging with "people that matter." He loved telling the story of the rise of his ministry, and he loved giving people tours of his ministry kingdom. This once tenderhearted man became angry and controlling. Where once he led by encouragement and vision, he now led by intimidation and threat. His was a story of spiritual decline, and soon everything he had built crumbled.

When I witness the spiritual decline of pastors, I ask myself, "Why does God choose to make certain people great? Why does he bless them with great gifts? Why does he provide them with great resources? Why does he surround them with smart and dedicated people?" The answer in Scripture again and again is that human greatness is not an end in itself but a means to an end. God does not pour his greatness into people so they can bask in their own glory and be worshiped by others because of it. He knows the dangers of greatness. He is aware of how quickly pride in oneself replaces humble gratitude. He knows that success is far more spiritually dangerous than failure. So why does God make people great?

The answer to this question is found in the words of the Queen of Sheba as she reflects on the greatness of King Solomon: "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God! Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness" (2 Chron. 9:8). The queen gets it right. Solomon's greatness is not about Solomon; it's about God's love for and faithfulness to his people. Human greatness is not a possession. It is an instrument given by a God of grace and glory for the sake of his people and the proclamation of his own glory.

May we willingly and joyfully surrender every gift and ability we've been given to him, for his purposes and for his glory.