-Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)
In Isaiah chapter 38 we read a remarkable story about Hezekiah the king and the events that happen to him.
Isaiah 38:1-8(NKJV) In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, 3 and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
How would you feel about it if a known and respected prophet of God came to you and told you to get your affairs and will in order, because you will die soon?
This message would certainly get my undivided attention and reaction. I can see myself in Hezekiah’s shoes lamenting to God about why this would happen to me!! I have (in my mind anyway) listened to all Your precepts, followed all Your instructions, and held to Your worship. Why am I sick and what do you mean I’m going to die soon from this disease? This is just not fair to me!
Does it do us good to try to recite to God our goodness and obedience?
What should we do instead?
Hezekiah cries out to God in his misery and grief asking God to have mercy on him and save him from untimely death. He implores God to hear him and is bitter in his heart about the situation he finds himself in. 2 Kings chapter 20 gives us another version of the events and helps us out with more detail.
2 Kings 20:4-6 (NKJV) “And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5 “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. 6 And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David.” ’ “
We see in this section that God heard Hezekiah’s prayers and God decided to intervene in the course of his disease and deliver him from death for another 15 years. God says that He will “surely” heal him. Then Isaiah goes to Hezekiah and delivers the message from God. Hezekiah, like all of us, wants an assurance that what the prophet says will actually happen. What a human reaction to a Godly message (also, what – only 15 years!). God then gives this message to Isaiah about His Word.
Isaiah 38:7-8(NKJV) And this is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing which He has spoken: 8 Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.
Think of the miracle that God must do to accomplish this event. All the universe must have the clock of God turned back approximately 40 minutes for this to happen. How does this happen? How can God do this? We read further in 2 Kings to get more details of the miracle.
2 Kings 20:8-11(NKJV) And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What is the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD the third day?”9 Then Isaiah said, “This is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing which He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees.” 11 So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.
Is it harder for God to turn time forward 40 minutes or backwards 40 minutes? Clearly both take the same miraculous movement of planets, suns, stars, and earth. But Hezekiah picks the answer that will silence all the critics of miracles. He may even be trying to convince himself of the truth, and the going back certainly can’t be faked or explained by any earthly means.
How are we like Hezekiah in our shaky belief in miraculous works of God?
What is our assurance today that God’s hand is in our lives?
1 John 5:13-15(NLT) I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
When we pray and ask God for help when we are doing the will of God He promises that He hears us. When God promises that He hears us then we should be good to go with whatever the answer to our prayer will be. We cannot obligate God to do our will by our good works or supposed obedience. God so loved that He gave, and God will so love again because it is His will to do what He has decided to do. We should live our lives in humble obedience to the God that loves us and have the confidence that He will do all that will bless us and sustain us. Cast all our cares upon our God for He cares for us.
Reflection Questions above in Bold Text
Prayer:
Father God be with us this day, and deliver us from the evil one. Give us the bread of our need this day to sustain and keep us. Please hear our petitions and prayers for Your help and healing as needed for our lives. Show us the way to walk like Your Son the Lord Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life for us. We praise Your Holy Name and lift You up with our prayers and hearts. Our Lord hear our prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray.
Seek Grow Love 