Our Blog

By: Pastor Horton

“Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD.” – Isaiah 38:2

Have you ever received news that wasn’t good? None of us like to be on the receiving end of bad news. “Sorry, but you haven’t been selected for the team.” “I hate to tell you this, but you have three cavities.” “There’s rain in the forecast for the entire weekend we’re at the lake.” “We’re downsizing and you have to find work elsewhere.”

Bad reports like these can sometimes be devastating. Maybe you have been practicing a lot in order to make that team. Or you thought you were brushing your teeth thoroughly every day. Or you were planning on a steady income or looking forward to a restful vacation. Maybe we haven’t encountered any of these bad things, but I’m certain that each of us can name several times when we were devastated with bad news.

Hezekiah was a king of Judah. He was a good king who tried to rule the kingdom according to God’s ways. Yet one day he heard some of the worst news he could ever imagine. 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, O 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.”

What would you do if the Lord came to you and said, “Put your house in order because you are going to die?” Those words surely frightened Hezekiah. What was the very first thing Hezekiah did? He prayed! Hezekiah did not try to fight against God’s words. He did not complain about God. He did not defiantly seek out the best doctors in the kingdom. He did not shake his fist at God in anger. He did not feel sorry for himself by crying or pouting. Instead, Hezekiah humbly prayed. He pleaded with the Lord to help him get through this trial. He went first to God, because Hezekiah knew that there is only one who has the power over life and death. And he knew that all healing comes from only one source, God alone.

Have you ever pleaded with God? Have you ever needed to bow before the Lord at your weakest moment and pray for his strength and help? Hezekiah is a good example for us to follow when bad news comes our way. He shows us that the first one we need to go to for help is the one who has promised to help us every time we come to him. We have a Father in heaven who hears us because Jesus paid for our sins and clothes us in his righteousness. God even listens to us as his own child. We can go to him whenever we hear bad news. Pour out your heart to the Lord and bring your problem to him. You can be certain that your prayer will be heard and that God will give you an answer as he helps you in your struggle.

You might wonder whatever 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’.”