Reignಮಾದರಿ

Secure the weapons. Get the fighting men ready for battle. Start rationing food and supplies. These are some of the things most rulers in the ancient world would have done if a foreign general sent a letter their way. But not Hezekiah. He understood the unique position he held as king of Judah. His job was not to defeat his enemies through military prowess or strategy—it was to trust God. We know that’s easier said than done! Most of us want to take charge, figure things out, and make a plan. We want to take matters into our own hands to ensure our security. Trusting is risky. It’s dangerous. To onlookers, it may even seem foolish. But nothing is bigger than God.

Hezekiah didn’t try to answer the wicked general, Sennacherib of Assyria. Instead, he brought the general’s taunts and accusations to God for Him to answer. And then he prayed. A short time later, the prophet Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah to assure him God had decreed the death of Sennacherib; Jerusalem would be saved.

If we’re just looking at it from the outside, prayer can seem like a desperate, last-ditch effort. But if we could see what happens in the heavenly realms, we’d know it’s always the best first option. It is the most powerful thing we can do. We’re taking our concerns to the all-mighty, all-knowing King of the Universe, who loves us so, so much and loves to fight for us.