Thursday, May 24, 2012

2 Kings 20 - Peace and Security

Would you want to know in which year you will die?  Hezekiah is at his deathbed.  He is told by Isaiah that he will die.  Yet, God hears Hezekiah's pleas and chooses that Hezekiah should be healed and live for some time yet.  Through Isaiah God lets him know that he will live for 15 more years.  I may feel differently tomorrow, but for today, I am not sure if I would want to know when I will die, whether it is tomorrow or 5 or 10 or 15 years from now.  I think I'd like that day to be a surprise.

Hezekiah disappoints me in the a latter part of this chapter.  He is told that his descendents will be captured and taken to Babylon.  His response?  "...he thought, "Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?"  Sounds just a little selfish to me...  But, then again, I am one who prays often for peace and security for my children and grandchildren.  I have a hard time with a parent who is satisfied that their lives are going to be all right, without regards to what might happen to their children.  Then, again, maybe Hezekiah thinks that God just might change His mind about Babylon just as He did about whether Hezekiah would live or not live. 

May God bless our children, not only of today, but of future generations with peace and security.


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