As I wrote earlier, Hezekiah’s example taught me a valued lesson about prayer. In today’s reading his example offers a second valuable lesson about prayer: be careful what you ask for. He asked God for a reprieve from death, and he got it. In those extra years he fathered the son who would follow him to the throne and lead the nation in such fashion that God announced that He would forsake them. There are worse things than death, and it is best to entrust our days, and all other matters, to God. Jesus’ example taught us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Even facing unspeakable torture, He followed His request that the suffering be averted with, “Nevertheless, not my will, but Thine, be done.” Hezekiah’s life reinforces that God’s ways are higher than our ways, and gives us good reasons to submit to God’s will. Can you pray for God’s will to be done in the matters weighing the heaviest on you today?
Read Through the Bible in a Year
Leadership, encouragement and insight to support your reading through the Bible in a year.