SUNDAY,
AUGUST 14, 2022
TEXT:
2 Kings 20:1-11
1.
About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz
went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the lord says:
Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from
this illness.”
2.
When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the
lord,
3.
“Remember, O lord, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you
single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept
bitterly.
4.
But before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, this message came to him from
the lord:
5.
“Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what the
lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen
your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed
and go to the Temple of the lord.
6.
I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from
the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own honor and for the sake
of my servant David.’”
7.
Then Isaiah said, “Make an ointment from figs.” So Hezekiah’s servants spread
the ointment over the boil, and Hezekiah recovered!
8.
Meanwhile, Hezekiah had said to Isaiah, “What sign will the lord give to prove
that he will heal me and that I will go to the Temple of the lord three days
from now?”
9.
Isaiah replied, “This is the sign from the lord to prove that he will do as he
promised. Would you like the shadow on the sundial to go forward ten steps or
backward ten steps?”
10.
“The shadow always moves forward,” Hezekiah replied, “so that would be easy.
Make it go ten steps backward instead.”
11.
So Isaiah the prophet asked the lord to do this, and he caused the shadow to
move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz!
(New
Living Translation Holy Bible)
TOPIC:
HEZEKIAH PRAYED AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD
The topic of today’s
devotion may sound odd, even unacceptable to some readers. But hold on until we
are done with the devotions of today and tomorrow.
Hezekiah became very
ill to the point of death. God sent Isaiah to warn him to prepare to die
because he would never recover from the sickness. Like all human beings
suffering from severe illness, Hezekiah earnestly sought the Lord in prayer for
healing.
Remember, God clearly
said that Hezekiah was going to die! One of the mistakes the king made was to
use his faithful service as a reason to be rewarded with life extension.
We often think that we
deserve God’s grace because we have earned it through what we consider to be
our good works. Our lives are a gift from God to be lived and used for His
purposes. Whether alive or dead, we must commit to live for His glory.
QUESTION:
Has there been any time in your life that you felt you deserved the grace of
God because you are a good person or have done excellently well in life?
PRAYER:
Open SS&S 894 and prayerfully and meditatively go through the words.
Remain
Blessed
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