Read: Isaiah 38:1-6
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. (v. 2)
Even a righteous person can become a victim of three sins: fear that leads to compromises, forgetting God’s grace and mercy, and bragging about accomplishments with no humility. These sins are so subtle that one may fail to discern them within oneself.
A righteous person may succumb to compromises in fear of persecution and death. Another might take God’s grace and mercy for granted and fail to make changes in their life. Or, another might become arrogant and proud of their accomplishments. These sins are so subtle that I have often discovered myself to be impacted by one or another.
These sins are obvious in the life of King Hezekiah. He began very well (2 Kings 18:5). However, fear of the Assyrians led to his first failure. He gave them all the silver and gold from the temple (vv. 15-16). So King Hezekiah fell sick, and Isaiah delivered the message of death. Sometimes, suffering is a blessing. Hezekiah repented and prayed in desperation (Isa. 38:3). The Lord gave him 15 years to reform. However, soon after he was healed, we read in 2 Chronicles 32:24 that “Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown to him; therefore the LORD’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.”
If you are a follower of Jesus, what is the legacy that you are leaving behind? What example of faith-filled life do you offer others?
As you pray, ask God to save you from sin and make your life an example.
Words of Hope’s South Asia Ministry field leader is based in India and works with more than 70 team members sharing the hope of the gospel in more than 20 languages. Because of security concerns, we have chosen not to share his name.
