Christian Living

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A Get Well Gift
Isaiah 39 (Isaiah 38, Psalm 32 &51, 1Samuel 12)

Right after King Hezekiah recovers from his illness (see Isaiah 38) envoys from Babylon show up bringing a get well gift. King Hezekiah, in his delight at their gift and presence, shows off all of his treasures: his own gold and silver, his armory, plus the Temple treasures and Holy articles. Then like a repeat of King David and the Prophet Nathan, the Prophet Isaiah appears before King Hezekiah.
Isaiah asks, “What did those guys want?” Hezekiah answers, “They came from Babylon and they brought me a get well gift and I showed them all of my neat stuff.” Like Nathan long ago Isaiah goes ballistic for the LORD before the king, “You silly ninny! Everything you have shown them will be carried off by their invading army in a few years. Even your own sons and the good boys and like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and Esther. This city will be a pile of rocks and dead bodies. I hope you’re happy!”
Where as long ago King David realized his mistake (sin) and wept and confessed and wrote some beautiful psalms of confession (32 &51), now King Hezekiah says, “What God says is pretty cool.” All the while thinking to himself “At least I’ll be dead when it happens.” I don’t know if he didn’t care or realized maybe he couldn’t have done anything to prevent it from happening, but it seems he just threw up his arms in unwillingness to attempt to help.
How many times, O LORD, has the devil brought a gift and I was overjoyed at the attention? How many times, if warned my You about it, that I just shrugged You off? How many steps or falls backwards could I have avoided if I had kept my eyes on You, Jesus, instead of that Snickers bar?

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