March 12, 2020
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of 2 Kings 20:5,6 “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David, your father, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. And I will add to your days, fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, And I will defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of My servant David.”
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, from the above context we understand that God was mindful of king Hezekiah, who ruled Jerusalem for twenty nine years. From the above context we see how God helped Hezekiah while he was in his sickbed, at the verge of death. The Bible says, Hezekiah was sick unto death. So God warns him through prophet Isaiah to prepare himself for death. When he heard the news of his death, Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall and prayed to the Lord. This is what one must do when he is in trouble. Prayer is one of the best preparations for death because by it, we fetch in strength and grace, from God to enable us to finish well. He wept sorely. There was something peculiar in Hezekiah’s prayer. He said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray how I have walked before you, in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.”And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, Hezekiah’s piety made his sick bed easy. Hezekiah does not pray asking God to spare him, but he cries out to the Lord to remember him. He says, “Lord remember me whether I live or die, let me be thine.” God always hears the prayers of the broken in heart and will give health and length of days, and temporal deliverances as much and as long as is truly good for them. Hezekiah’s recovery was miraculous.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is because of his faith in God, the shadow of the sun was carried back and the light was continued longer than usual, in a miraculous manner. This work of wonder shows the power of God in heaven, as well as on the earth, the great notice, He takes of prayer and the great favour, He bears to his chosen.
My dear Brothers and Sisters, As Hezekiah feared the Lord, and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David, had done. He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars of foreign Gods. He cut down the wooden images and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made. He trusted in the Lord, God of Israel. He held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following Him. But kept His commandments which the Lord had commanded Moses. So the Lord was with him and he prospered wherever he went. God extended his years for another fifteen years and during this period, he was blessed with a son Manasseh to reign after him.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, Can you say confidently like Hezekiah that you have done all that is right in the sight of the Lord? Do you hold fast to the Lord? Or have you departed from following God? Do you keep his commandments and read the word of God regularly? If you do so the Lord will take pity on you and your family and extend the days of your life. May God bless you to be faithful like Hezekiah who reminded God of his good works during his reign in Jerusalem. God bless you.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord we, thank you for being so kind to king Hezekiah and extending his life. Thank you for acknowledging his good deeds. Bless us also, Oh Lord, and remember us in our lowly state and extend peace in our hearts. Teach us not to depart from following you. And help us to keep Your commandments.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
