A Godly Response if Your House is in Order

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Picture of a Last Will and Testament used by people to get their house in order.

Wednesday’s Bible reading gave us a model of a godly response to bad news. Today’s Bible reading* goes further into Hezekiah’s story and we see another godly response to bad news: his impending death.

In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Set your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’ 
Isaiah 38:1 (CSB)

So what did Hezekiah do? Did he panic? Of course not!

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. He said, “Please, LORD, remember how I have walked before you faithfully and wholeheartedly, and have done what pleases you.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
Isaiah 38:2-3 (CSB)


God relented and gave Hezekiah a few more years to live. And then he foolishly drew attention to himself, parading his blessings before the king of Babylon. Isaiah came back and rebuked him,

“‘Look, the days are coming when everything in your palace and all that your predecessors have stored up until today will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. ‘Some of your descendants—who come from you, whom you father—will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
Isaiah 39:6–7 (CSB)

So what did Hezekiah do? Did he panic? Of course not! He responded to Isaiah,

Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good,” for he thought: There will be peace and security during my lifetime.
Isaiah 39:8 (CSB)

Hezekiah recognized God’s sovereignty over his life and his kingdom. He acknowledged the goodness of God and His Word.

Application

What would you do if you knew when you were going to die? What if you were told you had one day to live, or one week to live, or one year to live? Would you live your life any differently than you are right now?

Of course, none of us know when we will die. But someday, each of us will breathe our last. And then what? Are you ready?

Is your house in order with God?

If you’re not sure, please find out! Don’t do anything else until you’ve nailed down your response to my question! Watch this video and then reach out to me. Or just reach out to me without watching the video.

What about your family? Friends? Coworkers? Is your house in order with the people around you?

In 2004, Country singer, Tim McGraw released a song (his video is here or below if you’re reading this on my website) where he sang he had a friend who received bad news from a doctor. His response?
“I went sky divin’, I went rocky mountain climbin’, I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu. And I loved deeper, And I spoke sweeter, And I gave forgiveness I’d been denying.’ And he said, ‘Someday I hope you get the chance To live like you were dying.’ “

If you were given a death sentence by a doctor, and if your house is in order with God, I hope you take the chance to live like you were dying.

* Chapters covered in today’s reading:
Isaiah 38
Isaiah 39
2 Kings 20:1-21
2 Chronicles 32:24-33

This devotional was originally published on July 23, 2021.


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