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Topic: SICK (05/09/19)
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TITLE: No More Tears | Previous Challenge Entry
By Elaine Hemingway
05/16/19 -
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King Hezekiah was described as a good king. As a 25 year old he had torn down all the shrines and idols erected and served by his father, Ahaz, and he believed in and served Yahweh, the Lord God of Israel. Throughout his reign he sought to be obedient to Yahweh, obeying all the instructions of Moses, even to the point of defying the king of Assyria, Sennacherib, who had laid siege to and captured all the towns of Judah. When Sennacherib threatened that he would also take Jerusalem Hezekiah sought counsel from Yahweh through the prophet Isaiah who told him to stand firm. Yahweh Himself would defend the city, and it was so. Sennacherib was killed by his sons and Jerusalem was saved.
But then Hezekiah became deathly sick and again called for Isaiah. Isaiah told him to set his affairs in order for he would surely die.
Hezekiah pleaded with God with tears, loud cries and no doubt promises. “O Lord, don’t you remember how true I’ve been to you and how I have always tried to obey you in everything you have said.” (Isaiah 38:3) Have you ever been there? I know I have. With a child in danger, for example, we try to reason with God and persuade Him that our desires should be the over-riding factor for our prayers to be answered. We try to justify our request.
But…Isaiah tells us in chapter 55, verses 8,9 that we should be aware His ways are not our ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts just as His plan is unfathomable to us.
What happened when God decided to listen to Hezekiah’s prayers? Again through Isaiah’s message Yahweh gave Hezekiah another 15 years of life and to prove His generosity He directed the sun to go ten degrees backward. Then, in those extra 15 years Hezekiah became father to the son he had longed for, Manasseh.
All the good that Hezekiah had done in his lengthy reign was cancelled out and rubbished by this evil son who later became the worst king in Judah’s history. That is why I don’t ever want to pray against the Lord’s will. I want to be part of His Perfect plan, not only for me but for those who come after me. I would hate to have someone say “If only she had left well alone.”
'I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper, not to harm, plans to give you hope and a future.' Jeremiah 29:11
So, sickness notwithstanding, If in doubt I will wait for that time when I join the Lord in the New Earth, the New Jerusalem where His promises will be fulfilled...
‘And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ Revelation 21:4
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