26 Jan Facing the Wall
Isaiah 38:1-3 (nlt)
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.’”
2 When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, O Lord, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly.
Hezekiah was a godly king in spite of his father being an evil leader who even sacrificed some of his children in fire. The Bible describes him as a king who did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. He was only 25 years old when he became king of Judah and was handed a terrible situation. The land was in ruins, the tabernacle was in shambles and no one could worship there.
2 Chronicles 29 tells us that in the first month of his reign that he reopened the Temple doors and begin to repair them.
- However, around the age of 40 we find Hezekiah has become deathly ill.
Isaiah 38: 1-2
It didn’t have to say he turned his face to the wall. There must be some significance in this fact.
How many of you have felt your back is against the wall? You have served God, done the right things? And you feel like you have no where to go. You feel pinned in. No hope. No future. No escape.
I love what Hezekiah did in the face of death. In the face of devastating news. It wasn’t a doctor’s report He got. He received a message from God that said – hey dude. You are going to die! There really doesn’t seem to be a way out of that.
But Hezekiah teaches us such a valuable lesson here. He doesn’t say a word. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t call his wife. He didn’t go grab his kids and hold them tight. He didn’t get on Facebook or Instagram. He didn’t call or text his best friend. He didn’t argue with the Prophet Isaiah or ask Him to talk to God for him.
He simply, turned his face to the wall.
In Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall/Western Wall stands, and people go there from all over the world to pray. They face the wall and place their prayers inside the wall. Jewish people believe that here they are facing the presence of God and turning their backs on everything else.
What a great principal to live by. Face the presence of God
Turn your back on everything else. There will be times when we have to turn our back to the circumstances and face the wall.
The temptation is to have your back to the wall. Every felt or said that? My back is against the wall? But, When your back is against the wall you are fixated on your problem.
The church is a wall for you to run to. A refuge to escape to. Scripture tells us that Hezekiah turned his face to the wall. He prayed and wept bitterly.
I am not much of a crier. But there are times in prayer when I let it all out to God.
- Jesus wept. When Lazarus died he cried.
- He cried again When he stood looking over the city of Jerusalem.
Our heartfelt tears get His attention. When Hezekiah wept bitterly I believe it got the attention of God. He loves us. He wants good for us. So God changed His mind.
He told Isaiah to go back and tell Hezekiah that in 3 days he would be healed.
Hezekiah had to wait for 3 days for the miracle. I don’t know why it didn’t happen instantly? But I do know that he had to wait for the answer to manifest.
We will all have ups/downs – That’s life. But the one thing that we can learn from Hezekiah is every time there was a need he prayed. He immediately turned and prayed.