Finishing Strong

Scripture:  “In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death.  And Isaiah the prophet….went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD:  ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.”  2 Kings 20:1 NKJV  
 
Of all the fascinating events that we read about King Hezekiah’s life, I’ve always been impressed with our Lord telling him the exact balance of his years. (2 Kings 20:6) How would you feel if the omniscient God of the universe gave you the exact number of your days?  Such specific communication is not overly mentioned in the Holy Scriptures.  Luke 12:20 cites the Lord’s stern report to His hearers about a “certain rich man” who was living presumptuously and rollin’ in the dough; yet God addressed him as “You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?”

In the context of today’s scripture, the Babylonians preceded their Judean conquest by sending one of its princes to visit Hezekiah. He feigned friendship with the king; the latter unwittingly showed the prince all the treasures of the Judean kingdom!  Later, Hezekiah’s entire nation would be totally subjected to Babylonian rule! While he took solace in knowing that the conquest would happen after he died, we have to wonder did Hezekiah significantly tone down his fervor in pursuing God after Isaiah’s prophesying of the nation’s dismal future?  Let us commit to finishing strong—to practicing the disciplines of seeking our Lord in prayer, by daily repentance, for wisdom, direction, and guidance, no matter what the future may bring.

Our Lord wants His children to reflect often on whose glory are we living for!  Are we remaining sensitive to His will and purpose for our daily lives?  Or are we like good King Hezekiah—hearing from modern-day “ Isaiahs” about all the calamities that will befall earth’s inhabitants, and in some measure, God’s own people in subsequent generations—and yet becoming somewhat complacent, drawing solace from the thought, ‘Man, I sure hope I won’t be here for THAT!!’  Let us not fall back from our Savior’s warning to continue seeking, obeying, and relying upon God’s wisdom on a daily basis. (Rev. 22:10-12)

Prayer:  Dear ABBA, throughout each day help me to resist a spirit of complacency, for such a spirit merely embraces  a subtle and yet  dangerous spirit of  independence from the protection that accompanies a practiced dependency upon Your indwelling Presence.  Thank You, in Jesus’ name; Amen!

(by Denise Diggs)