2 Kings 20:1 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.”

Let us just imagine that you went to your doctor yesterday and came away with this kind of news. Where does that leave you? What is going through your mind? Hezekiah was face to face with death. He did not ask the prophet how he knew what he was telling him or if he was sure. He accepted it as truth because he trusted the prophet.

But Hezekiah had a personal relationship with God and felt he wanted a ‘one on one’ with God before surrendering completely.  So Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. He said: “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with whole hearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And he wept bitterly. Totally human!

Then something amazing happened. The Lord stopped Isaiah in the middle court and told him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’” (2 Kings 20:5-6). Frankly, I just feel like dancing right now! God hears our prayers!!! And sometimes he even responds immediately! I believe volumes can be written on this encounter between the Lord of the whole earth and an ordinary human being. But consider this aspect: God healed Hezekiah so as to give him a new assignment! When I read this account, the Holy Spirit spoke to me:

“My will and purpose are made known to those who seek after me for the express purpose of bringing glory to my name. It is not for the edification of the healed or of the messenger. My will and purpose are the pre-eminent reason for man’s existence. It is not about the individual.”