Not So Fast

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
1 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.”

2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “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.

4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘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. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

7 “‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: 8 I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down. (Isaiah 38:1-8, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
I was very excited Tres invited me to write about this particular passage.  It moves me and is one of the most compelling Biblical accounts that verifies we MOVE GOD. If you’ve ever wondered just how incredible God’s love and attention for us is; it is on great display here.  How many of you have struggled with the question: “Does God really listen and care about my prayers”?    I think many believers struggle with this. Some contend their prayers don’t really have any impact on God, that He is going to do what He is going to do. And yet, this passage clearly gives evidence to the contrary.  

Hezekiah was the 14th king of Judah, having lived prior to the birth of Jesus.  He was one of the most prominent kings of Judah, in a time when many were reckless and evil.  Hezekiah was not was of those.  You can find him mentioned in the New Testament in the book of Matthew in the genealogy of Jesus.  King Hezekiah enacted sweeping religious reforms, of which included removing the worship of foreign deities from the Temple in Jerusalem, restoring the worship of God.  Hezekiah also lived during the time of the great prophet Isaiah, one of the more notable prophets found in the Bible.  

I have imagined this scene found in Isaiah 38 many times in my mind.  I can see Isaiah exiting the King’s court and taking the long walk to the outer court after having delivered the sad news to his king and God stopping him in his tracks, probably less than 5 minutes later, while in the middle court.  Isaiah was probably wondering if he was hearing God correctly.  “Uh, I’m supposed to go back and tell him what?  God, everybody knows me for my accuracy.  This feels a little uncomfortable.  Uh, yes sir. On my way sir.”  You can also read another account of this in 2 Kings 20.  

What a beautiful picture of what it’s like when you walk with God.  He invites our appeals, our disagreements, our pleading.  GOD IS MOVED BY YOU.  Hezekiah did walk with God and God honored his request with a great gift.  In Jeremiah it says “He that honors Me, I will also honor.”  I like that. 

God is not sitting on His throne on auto-pilot with everything already pre-programmed for today and tomorrow.  My prayers and yours mysteriously provide the mechanisms to send the Lord of the Universe into action.  Isn’t that marvelous.  I want that!  If you are ever wanting to grab a great read on this and more check out God of the Possible by Gregory Boyd.


PRAYER:
Father God, you are magnificent.  Your ways are beyond my comprehension and I am so very thankful you are truly LORD OF IT ALL.  I’m so glad You are incredibly interested in me and my life and that it excites You to dialogue with me.  Thank You for the mysterious way our prayers invite You to respond.  


WHO AM I?
I'm Sky Streety, and I’m someone that God has rescued too. And it’s so very neat to see how God enjoys using us to be a part of His rescue teams from time to time. That’s a privilege we should not take lightly.  Everyday I see opportunities to thank God for His amazing kindness to me.  I love God’s creation and am most happy when I can be outside IN IT.  Most of you who know me, know how much I love the mountains and that beautiful white stuff on them.  If only it would visit Texas a bit more often.  Anyone who has spent anytime around me knows that I feel closest to God when the wind blows. It’s like His voice is touching me.  The next time you feel the wind blow consider it to be God connecting with you!