HOPE IN THE HARD PLACE OF SICKNESS (1 OF 4)
by Joe Alain
Scripture: 2 Kings 20:1-11, Isaiah 38:1-6
This content is part of a series.
Hope in the Hard Place of Sickness (1 of 4)
Series: Hope in the Hard Places
Joe Alain
2 Kings 20:1-6 (7-11); Isaiah 38:1-6
Sickness and the suffering that accompanies it is universal. All of us are touched by sickness either directly or indirectly. Sickness happens because we live in a fallen world (cf. Rom. 8:18-ff.). We know people who are hurting. Each week we hear of family members and friends dealing with illnesses. Our prayer lists seem to get longer each week. What do you do when you find yourself in that hard place of sickness? When King Hezekiah became deathly ill he turned to God in prayer and was healed.
Life Application: In times of sickness, we are to trust God and seek His glory.
This passage in 2 Kings 20:1-6 offers some practical insights into sickness and the faith response of God's people.
In the hard place of sickness, . . .
1. Evaluate Your Life (v.1)
We are told that Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death (v.1). We're not told what his illness was but it was very serious. Isaiah, God's prophet, had a very frank word to tell Hezekiah. "Put your house in order because you will soon die." When you are very sick, especially when you believe you're going to die, you prioritize your life and you start putting your house in order. But the truth is, we shouldn't wait to do these things because we're all going to die. We have a terminal disease and we cannot escape death. The mortality rate is 100%. (Ps. 89:48; Heb. 9:27; Ecc. 3:20). In light of this, we are to put our house in order (Ps. 90:12; 2 Cor. 5:9-10).
Pastor Isaiah delivered the bad news to Hezekiah, "you will not recover." Some of you have been told that, but God had other plans. Don't be too quick to believe the prognosis, even from reliable sources. Isaiah was God's prophet, but God was going to do something different. As long as there is breath there is hope for healing. Hezekiah could have taken that word as a death sentence and crawled up in his palace ...
Series: Hope in the Hard Places
Joe Alain
2 Kings 20:1-6 (7-11); Isaiah 38:1-6
Sickness and the suffering that accompanies it is universal. All of us are touched by sickness either directly or indirectly. Sickness happens because we live in a fallen world (cf. Rom. 8:18-ff.). We know people who are hurting. Each week we hear of family members and friends dealing with illnesses. Our prayer lists seem to get longer each week. What do you do when you find yourself in that hard place of sickness? When King Hezekiah became deathly ill he turned to God in prayer and was healed.
Life Application: In times of sickness, we are to trust God and seek His glory.
This passage in 2 Kings 20:1-6 offers some practical insights into sickness and the faith response of God's people.
In the hard place of sickness, . . .
1. Evaluate Your Life (v.1)
We are told that Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death (v.1). We're not told what his illness was but it was very serious. Isaiah, God's prophet, had a very frank word to tell Hezekiah. "Put your house in order because you will soon die." When you are very sick, especially when you believe you're going to die, you prioritize your life and you start putting your house in order. But the truth is, we shouldn't wait to do these things because we're all going to die. We have a terminal disease and we cannot escape death. The mortality rate is 100%. (Ps. 89:48; Heb. 9:27; Ecc. 3:20). In light of this, we are to put our house in order (Ps. 90:12; 2 Cor. 5:9-10).
Pastor Isaiah delivered the bad news to Hezekiah, "you will not recover." Some of you have been told that, but God had other plans. Don't be too quick to believe the prognosis, even from reliable sources. Isaiah was God's prophet, but God was going to do something different. As long as there is breath there is hope for healing. Hezekiah could have taken that word as a death sentence and crawled up in his palace ...
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