SOAP Isaiah 38: The Power of Prayer

The Power of Prayer

ISAIAH 38

Good Morning!

Chapter 38 we continue to read the story of Hezekiah. He was a

good king. In 2 Kings 18, we read about how he removed the pagan

shrines and reintroduced the ways of God to the people.

”He remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the Lord had given Moses. So the Lord was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute.“

2 Kings 18:6-7 NLT

When Hezekiah became sick, he was shocked to hear the news Isaiah shared. The Lord told him that he would not recover from the sickness.

”About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’”“

Isaiah 38:1 NLT

What stuck out to me was when Hezekiah prayed and God heard his

prayer.

”When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,“

Isaiah 38:2 NLT

“Go back to Hezekiah and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life,“

Isaiah 38:5 NLT

The Lord didn’t change his mind about him dying and Hezekiah still probably had to get his affairs in order but the Lord blessed him with more time. I believe God did this because of Hezekiah’s faithfulness. Even though the prophet brought him a word from the Lord, he still prayed. He could have just accepted the prophecy but instead, he cried out to the Lord and not only was he healed but he was given 15 more years.

I began to wonder, how would I live my life if I knew I only had 15 more years? Would I spend my time doing things that have earthly value rather than eternal value? What kind of legacy would I be leaving my child? It’s amazing that we serve a God who answers prayers! He hears them and he takes care of his people.

Prayer: Lord thank you for hearing our prayers. You are always there through every moment of our lives. You see how we serve you and praise you. You see our tears. You heal our sickness and fight our battles. We give you all of the praise glory and honor. Amen