**a good song to read to**
2 kings 20ish
Today I read of a man who had a heart for the Lord, and how that man’s prayer changed the mind of God.
The section I’m writing on is the beginning of 2 kings 20... but to understand the story of this man, Hezekiah, you should read back a few chapters to learn of his devotion to his God. I could’ve written a dozen blogs on this section from what I learned, but I chose instead to just read it, and let it soak. It soaked to the point of saturation today and what drips from my spirit I want to share with you...
Please stick with me... :)
Starting in chapter 18, we learn that Hezekiah is 25 when he takes the throne (an interesting story for me, having one more day of being 25)... he rules for 29 years, and we read that “he did what was right in the eyes of the lord, just as his father David had done. Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him (it continues beautifully)...”
He loved God, maybe even more than David (this is important soon..)...
So in chp 20, Isaiah enters the picture.. a young prophet who will go on to write his own book in the bible. He approaches Hezekiah and tells him that he’s gonna die... that he should “put his house in order”... he would soon die.
God had decided this, and told Isaiah to deliver this message...
Hezekiah’s reaction? He turned his head to the wall, and said this with dry eyes...
“remember, o lord, how i have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.”
... and then, he wept bitterly ...
This man, with a heart that felt, and eyes that saw the glory which awaited him in the kingdom of HEAVEN... this man spoke with God, and heres the thing...
... he didn’t ask for his life to be spared ...
Why would he?! He knew what awaited him... the glory, free from pain, suffering, evil... he knew what awaited him, and ya know what, I don’t think you find a devout follower of God in the bible who asked for their own ‘lives’ to be spared... in fact, I think quite a few times they ask for their lives to be taken, their spirits lifted...
Hezekiah said “remember o lord...”... and the Lord saw that he could use him more. It says that through Isaiah, God told Hezekiah that he heard his prayer, and he felt each of his tears, and he was going to add 15 years to his life... among other beautiful things.
What a beautiful story, where the heart of God in a man shone through...
I’m heavily reminded of another story just a couple books back, a story very, very important to know in order to understand this guys heart... A couple generations back in Hezekiah’s lineage was David. (if u have a minute or two, read this story..)
David. The ‘man after God’s own heart’... David, the author of the psalms...
... david, the same guy who had a similar experience confronting God.. His young son (who he had out of god’s blessing.. verrry important) had become sick, and the lord said he was going to take this child, this child who came as a result of David’s sin.
David fasted, he wept bitterly, he laid by his sons bedside through his sickness pleeeading with God... but wow... upon re-reading it now, it doesn’t say that David asked that any lives be spared... it just says he wept, fasted, laid in his tears at his bedside ‘pleading’ with god.. for what?
The kid died on the 7th day... and almost in the same breath as the news he was about to hear of his sons death, he got up, put some oil on his head, wiped his tears and worshiped his God.
He worshiped.
So, maybe his ‘pleading’ was answered, maybe his child was with God in heaven..??. I’m reading this section in a completely new and beautiful way. :)
He worshiped.
Hezekiah “reminded”... and then he wept bitterly... he was to stay on earth, seperate from where he knew he would eventually reside. But he continued for 15 years, a heart for the Lord, doing the work of the Lord...
... walking in the way of goodness ...
... with a hope for what was to come...
... spreading that hope to His people..
Soak in these two stories today...
Hezekiah, and David... their worship, their tears, their circumstances, and their common residence in eternal communion with GOD...
We all have this same invitation, the invitation to reside with them, and the invitation to have in us a spirit that gives peace in ALL circumstances because of a steadfast faith that GOD is in control.
Ask.. and it will be given. Then learn about it in his good word... a gift. His spirit then guiding... a gift.
Gifts i’m eternally grateful for... eternally.
Check out my view below :) Also, if you clicked that song, and liked it, you might enjoy this :)
Be well friends!
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