Temporary Fix

Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 2 Kings 18:5

King Hezekiah was a man who walked closely with the Lord, unlike the kings who reigned before him. He reigned in Judah during a time of great turmoil in the region. A dog-eat-dog world where those with the most military muscle ruthlessly overthrew weak nations. At that time, the kingpin in the region was Sennacherib, king of Assyria. When Sennacherib had overthrown the surrounding nations, he set his eyes on Judah. He captured their cities and was determined to annihilate them. But Hezekiah was not surrendering without a fight. He opts for quiet diplomacy. He makes a deal and ends up paying Sennacherib ten thousand kilograms of silver and a thousand kilograms of gold. Hezekiah did not have this amount of silver and gold just lying around. He was forced to plunder the temple and the King’s treasuries, even stripping the gold from the temple doors (2 Kings 18:13-16). Hezekiah acted out of desperation, which bought Judah time, but God had the final say in the matter. He miraculously delivered them from the tyranny of Assyria.

God Delights in Us When We Seek Him

Hezekiah had a close relationship with God, with Yahweh. We see this at the beginning of 2 Kings chapter eighteen, which gives us a picture of Hezekiah’s walk with God. He was faithful- he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord (verse 3). He trusted in the Lord (verse 5). He remained devoted to Him – he held fast to the Lord (verse 6). He was obedient to His Word– he kept the commands of the Lord (verse 6). Hezekiah was a true follower of Yahweh, yet when he found himself in dire straits, he devised his own plan to deliver Judah from the Assyrians’ hands. A plan that cost him dearly in money and time.

When we, as believers in God, Yahweh and followers of Jesus Christ, find ourselves in dire straits, we have a choice. We can either submit our situation to God and trust Him to deliver us out of our troubles. Or we can take matters into our own hands. When we choose to do things our way, we may solve the issue to a certain extent, but most often it’s a temporary fix, as was the case with Hezekiah. When we become anxious and fearful because of our challenges, God waits for us to seek Him so that He can reveal His plan of deliverance to us. He takes delight in us when we come to Him and stand in awe of His majestic power to deliver us. He is waiting for us to put our hope in His unfailing love. A hope that will not disappoint.

He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse or in human might. No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love. Psalm 147:10-11 (NLT)

Reflection:

Have you consulted God about the difficulties you are facing, or are you looking for your own solution?

Prayer:

Lord, You see the dire straits I find myself in. Forgive me for trying to find my own solutions. Lord, I submit to You and Your deliverance from my challenges. In Jesus’ name, amen.