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Day 250 Isaiah 38:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set thine house in order; for you will die, and not live.’” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed unto the LORD, 3 And said, “Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, 5 “Go, and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will add unto your days fifteen years. 6 And I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city. 7 And this shall be a sign unto you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has spoken; 8 Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So, the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. No one is exempt from death. People get reports from doctors every day giving them a life expectancy for a terminal disease. No one wants to hear such a report. Families become devastated to learn their loved ones face imminent death. The person with the terminal disease makes decisions about how they want to live the remaining days of their lives. Some pray for a different outcome. Isaiah told Hezekiah he was about to die. In response, Hezekiah prayed, reminding God of his faithfulness, and wept at the shortness of his life. God heard Hezekiah’s prayer, saw his tears, and sent Isaiah back to him with an extension of his life and a sign of His promise. As Christians, your first response to a bad report from your doctor should be prayer. You know what the doctor said, now you need a second opinion, God’s. Many times, God provides the miracle of complete healing or extends the life of the loved one well beyond the doctor’s timeframe. When He does, how do you respond? Hezekiah responded with a prayer of thanksgiving. Isaiah 38:9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he was sick, and recovered of his sickness: 10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I will go to the gates of the grave. I am deprived of the residue of my years. 11 I said, I will not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living. I will behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. 12 My age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent. I have cut off like a weaver my life. He will cut me off with pining sickness; from day even to night will You make an end of me. 13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will He break all my bones; from day even to night will You make an end of me. 14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter. I mourned as a dove. My eyes fail with looking upward. O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me. 15 What shall I say? He has both spoken unto me, and Himself did it. I will go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. 16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit. So, will You recover me, and make me live. 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness; but You have in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. 18 For the grave cannot praise You, death can not celebrate thee. They who go down into the pit cannot hope for Your truth. 19 The living, the living, he shall praise You, as I do this day; the father to the children will make known Your truth. 20 The LORD was ready to save me. Therefore, we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD. 21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he will recover. 22 Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?” Your first response when God heals you should be a prayer of thanksgiving and praise. Yet many times, people go to social media and tell everyone about the miracle. Yes, they give God praise, but they told everyone before they thanked God for the miracle. Give God thanks first, then let everyone know how God healed you or your loved one. God will get the glory when you thank Him first, not last. Hezekiah told the people how God healed him and how he praised Him before he told them about God’s miracle. Give God praise first and watch how He responds and adds to your life. Let’s pray: Father, You alone are the author and finisher of all life. You provide doctors for our care, yet You are the final say over life and death. Help me look to You first when I receive a life-limiting report from the doctor. Let me praise You first when You provide the answer. Let me give You glory in everything You do in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 18 February 2022 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay.