When We Don't Understand

June 28

2 Kings 19-20

Psalm 76:1-6

Proverbs 16:26-27

Acts 23

When We Don’t Understand

“This is what the Lord God of your ancestor David says, ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears.  Look, I will heal you.  On the third day from now you will go up to the Lord’s temple.  I will add fifteen years to your life.  I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria.  I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”  2 Kings 20:5-6 HCSB

This is an interesting passage of scripture that provides some lessons for us but can also be misused.  In this passage Hezekiah has a terminal illness.  We aren’t told what it is, only that it is an “illness unto death.”  Isaiah tells him that he needs to put his affairs in order because he is going to die.  Hezekiah’s response is appropriate.  He turns his face to the wall and prays to God privately.  He wept bitterly and brought his concern before God.  He didn’t grumble and complain and rail about the unfairness of it all to those around him. He went to God sincerely and humbly.  In the Old Testament blessings and curses were tied to behavior.  He is asking God to remember that he has been faithful and has followed God wholeheartedly.  We do not approach God this way now because we recognize that any faithfulness and goodness on our part is filthy rags.  We approach God in Jesus’ name recognizing that it is by his grace and mercy that we can bring our requests before God.  His righteousness covers us and allows us to have access to God.  Hezekiah’s prayer may seem arrogant, but at that time it was appropriate.  I love that God’s response was, “I have heard your prayer.”  That is very comforting.  God always hears our prayers.  We do not always get an immediate answer like Hezekiah did, but He always hears us.  We also may not always get the answer we want.  God gave Hezekiah an additional fifteen years.  Instead of just healing him, God told him he had fifteen more years and we see at the end of the chapter that at the end of that time, he died. 

I can’t explain why God chose to give Hezekiah fifteen more years of life when he prayed, and He doesn’t do that when other people who have terminal illnesses pray.  The only explanation is that God knows what is best.  I admit that it is beyond my ability to understand how a child’s death could be best or how it is best for a young mother to die instead of being healed by God.  We know that He can heal them and yet sometimes He doesn’t.  Hezekiah’s healing was also tied to the deliverance of Israel. He was not healed for his sake as much as for the sake of Israel.  This fit into God’s greater purpose.  When God chooses to heal now it usually has a greater purpose than just preserving that person’s life.   When we do not get the answer we want, if we are seeking Him, He will give us the strength and courage to accept the answer we are given.  Only in turning our face to Him can we hope to experience the peace that passes understanding when we don’t have all the answers.