In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.’” – Isaiah 38:1-6 (NIV)
“Get your affairs in order.” Could there be a more sobering moment in a person’s life than when they hear these words coming from their doctor’s lips? There is no mistaking the meaning of what was said. No matter how upbeat and well they felt before arriving to the appointment, they will leave that office forever changed, carrying with them the weight of a depressing heaviness whose load seems unbearable.
Physicians are human and sometimes they make mistakes. In the past I’ve had doctor’s appointments in which the nurse or doctor came into the examination room with another patient’s medical chart. “Uh, no. I ‘m not Ralph and I don’t have Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” We’ve read horror stories in the news about surgeons removing the wrong kidney or amputating the wrong limb. Yikes. Talk about a bad day…
But God doesn’t overlook the important details. He doesn’t make mistakes.
Hezekiah was familiar with that depressing heaviness from being told that he doesn’t have long to live. There was no misdiagnosis, no mixing up a patient’s medical records. God had spoken, and the news he spoke through Isaiah left Hezekiah emotionally broken. He was in deep anguish and despair, and weeping bitterly.
How easy it would be for us in that moment to see God as being cruel and having no compassion. And yet how many people have we known who never realized that that fateful morning they awakened that they had only hours to live? That they would never again see their families? Or more importantly, to get their hearts right with God? I often think of those brave firefighters on 9/11 who woke up that beautiful September morning and never once considered that their loved ones would never see them again.
So perhaps we could just as easily see God’s generosity toward Hezekiah in that moment. Not all people are given the time to get their house and heart in order.
The Bible says that Hezekiah then turned his face to the wall and did the only thing he knew to do. He cried out to God. “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes” (v.3). Hezekiah didn’t pray that prayer as a question, as in Do you remember? No, he was making a bold statement. “Remember!”
With all of the life in him, he poured himself out to the Lord. He didn’t want to die. He was a young man, only 39 years old. He was in the prime of his life. He still had things he wanted to see and accomplish.
And God was listening.
“I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city” (v.5-6).
Not only did God show mercy and compassion by adding 15 more years to Hezekiah’s life, he gave him a parting gift: I will deliver you and this city from the evil Assyrian king! And you will live in peace.
Friend, what do you do when you’re on the receiving end of bad news? Who do you tell? Hezekiah knew immediately who to turn to. He prayed fervently to the Lord and boldly stated his case.
So when you have a desperate need in your own life, turn to God first! Bring it to him in fervent prayer. When you ask, ask with a faithful expectation and state your case boldly before the Lord. While there is no guarantee that He will change your circumstances, He will at least help you to change how you look at them.
And who knows… maybe if you change how you look at your circumstances, your circumstances may change, too.
Former Blackout Artist 