We discover, in the first few words of this verse, that  whilst the city was under threat, Hezekiah became ill.  Not just poorly but “at the point of death.”  Isaiah’s confirmation of the fact came with the instruction to make preparations.  Who would succeed him as king since no natural heir had been born yet? Only being in his mid/late thirties, this was unwelcome news so Hezekiah responded the only way he knew how in trials - he prayed.  It’s private and personal as we deduce from his turning his back and facing the wall as he petitioned God and stated his case before him. 

Having journeyed a little with Hezekiah, it would seem ‘unfair’ (for want of a better word), that his life was about to be cut short.  Had he not served God well and done right in His eyes?  Had he not brought about a revival of worship to the one true God and had the altars and high places removed?  Whether it was God’s plan or not we may never find out, but it became God’s will to find in favour of Hezekiah as He granted him a further 15 years to live as well as delivering the city from invasion. 

At the time of writing this, Christmas is just a couple of weeks away and the king’s response to such good news reminds me, a little, of the way Scrooge responded to his own near death experience - both promised to live more careful lives.  Have you ever told God that you’ll  try harder, or be nicer or more faithful as a result of His answer to your prayer at a desperate time? It’s so easy to find ourselves making such claims but, like New Year’s resolutions, hard to maintain.

As Christians, we have the promise of eternal life with God our Heavenly Father through the death and resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Hezekiah did not have that assurance but his motivation for living longer is admirable: so he can continue to praise God and tell others of His faithfulness.

About 15 years ago, a country music artist named Tim McGraw, produced a song titled ‘Live like you were dying’ and some lyrics read,

“And I loved deeper

And I spoke sweeter

And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying."

but the sentiment of the song is that we shouldn’t wait until pressed by time to model the life of Jesus.  In Hebrews 12 we read Paul writes ‘And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us’

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Heavenly Father, spur us on as we grow in faith and love to live each day for You. Amen.