“Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD.” Isaiah 38:2
None of us enjoy hearing bad news. “Sorry, but you haven’t been chosen for the team.” “I hate to tell you this, but you have three cavities.” “Kids, our vacation’s been cancelled because Dad has to work.”
Bad reports can sometimes be devastating. You’ve been hoping for weeks to make the team. You brush regularly and still have to face the dentist’s drill. We missed vacation last year because dad had to work. No doubt we can all name several times when we were given bad news.
Hezekiah was a good king who tried to rule according to God’s ways. Yet one day he was told some horrible news. This is how the Bible tells the story: “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” (Isaiah 38:1-3).
What would you do if the Lord said to you: “Put your house in order because you are going to die?” Those words frightened Hezekiah. So what did he do? He prayed! Hezekiah could have searched the kingdom for the best doctors or shaken his fist at God in anger. Or he could have felt sorry for himself and sobbed and sobbed, but he didn’t. Hezekiah prayed. He pleaded with the Lord to help him get through this trial. He knew that there is only one with power over life and death. He knew that only God could help him.
Have you ever pleaded with God? Have you ever gone to the Lord at your weakest moment and prayed for strength and help? Hezekiah is an example for us to follow. He shows us that when there is trouble, the first one we need to go to for help is the one who has promised to help us. We can always be certain that our prayers will be heard and God will give us an answer and show us a way out.
Do you know what happened to Hezekiah? The Bible gives us the rest of the story: “Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah. ‘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’” (Isaiah 38:5).
While I am a pilgrim here,
Let your love my spirit cheer;
As my Guide, my Guard, my Friend,
Lead me to my journey’s end. Amen.
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