Scripture:
Isaiah 38:1-8 NKJV
[1] In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ” [2] Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, [3] and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. [4] And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, [5] “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. [6] I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.” ’ [7] And this is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken: [8] “Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.
Observation:
As the day unfolded yesterday, I had the opportunity to spend some time with my daughter. What a wonderful young lady she has grown into. She is almost 16 now and as I recount the years it’s hard to see where it all went. But here we are. Even though it feels like she was born yesterday she is almost ready to drive. Sometimes I think it would be nice if I could turn the clock back just a few years. As I woke up this morning I got to thinking about time and how quickly it can get away from us. That brought me to the story in the Bible of King Hezekiah, as he received a diagnosis that was terminal. All the time that had slipped past him must have hit him really hard. Standing there looking at what appeared to be the end of his life he cried out to the LORD. I couldn’t imagine what that moment felt like. But as I had the opportunity to read it this morning a few things hit my spirit really hard. The story is found not only here but also in 2nd kings as well. So let’s see what GOD wants to tell us this morning. Isaiah the prophet was told to go deliver the news to the king. I can see him walking in thinking, “Well I wish I could tell him something better, but I have to relay the message GOD has given me. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you probably should get your affairs in order.” As the weight of that statement hit the ears of Hezekiah, the response that took place was one that most of the kings would not have been able to say. You see Hezekiah had lived a fairly decent life in the eyes of GOD. As he pleaded for the LORD to remember how he walked before HIM with a loyal heart weeping bitterly, Isaiah had already begun to walk away. Somewhere down the corridor of Hezekiah’s home the LORD spoke to him again, telling him, “I have heard his prayer and seen his tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. Can you picture it, a man who just a few short moments got the worst news of his life getting a second chance, even if it was only fifteen years. It had to feel like an opportunity for a whole new life. That statement came with another promise as well. The promise of victory over the king of Assyria. What honestly blows my mind is the sign that the LORD gave Hezekiah. Now I know that we have this thing called daylight savings time where once a year we turn our clocks either forward or backwards an hour but this was not just an hour it was at least 10 hours that the sun would move backwards, essentially resetting the entire scope of time. It was no small task. But in the eyes of the LORD it was nothing. I can picture the king’s face as he had the opportunity to truly see GOD move on his behalf. The sun dial, being moved backwards. It was as if GOD turned the clock back on his life.
Application:
How would it feel to know exactly how much time you have left here on earth? How would you prepare for the final day? Well the truth is no one knows how much time they have at any given moment you could draw your last breath. A young man that I had known for about 18 years was found dead from a fentanyl overdose a few days ago. I’m sure he wasn’t thinking that would be the last time he saw his children when he made the decision to get high. But here is the thing, we don’t know what kind of time we have here on earth. As I spent fathers day with my daughter yesterday, I got the opportunity to just enjoy her company. Remembering all the life that we have had together was awesome. I would exchange it for anything…. Except more time. It’s the most valuable commodity that we have. It’s the only account that we can not make a deposit into. In other words you are not going to make time. GOD is the only one who can do that, so all you can do is take time, take time to be present in the lives of those around you. The account of time is an account you can’t check your balance on. You can just pull up to the clock slide in your time debt card and see what you have left. No one truly knows how much time we have. So here are my thoughts on this topic. You can’t save time, you can’t make time, and you don’t know how much you have, so when you decide to withdraw from your time account…. Make sure you send it wisely. Be present in the moment, don’t walk away mad, forgive the ones that hurt you, it may be the last time you see them, don’t allow the enemy to come between you and those you love… and love with all you got. Over the last 9 years of this walk a lot of people have come into my life that are no longer with us. It would be nice if we had more time together. In heaven we will have eternity. But here on earth no one knows. Make each moment count. Tell them you love them. The enemy has come to make you busy. That’s how he steals time. Before you know it 16 years will have passed and you will be looking at your daughter getting her first car and thinking where did it all go. Slow down and listen to GOD allow HIM to direct your path and take time for the ones you love. It may be the last opportunity. You don’t know. GOD is the only one who can check the balance in that account.
Prayer:
Father, we trust you with our lives. We place them in your hands. You know who we are and what you have made us for. All we can ask is that you make every moment count. Help us to be present in those moments not forgetting you listen and be a part of those lives that you have placed around us for such a time as this. Help us to spend the time you give us wisely. Loving on all we come into contact with. Let our lives be a reflection of your SON. A man who thought enough about time to take the direct path right through Samaria to have an encounter with a woman who needed to know love. Help us to love like HE loves. We want to live a life for you that includes time well spent. Its in the mighty name of Jesus we pray amen.