February 22 2001
Sennacherib continues his threats against Jerusalem in Isaiah 37, Hezekiah's response in this situation gives me another glimpse of God. Sennacherib in threatening Hezekiah, points toward his military accomplishments, in particular that he has defeated the 'gods' of all the other nations. Hezekiah responds by taking the issue to God in prayer, God responds in a way that makes it clear that it was him... God sends an angel to wipe out 185,000 men!! Lest there be any confusion or thought that any man could lay claim to the victory. In verse 21 God responds to Hezekiah...
"Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria this is the word the Lord has spoken against him:" -
Isaiah 37:21
This reminded me of another...
"Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. "
Isaiah 65:24
God was moved to act because Hezekiah prayed about the situation. This is the heart of God, he yearns to hear from us, he longs for us to bare our hearts before him and invite him to work in our lives. It is amazing to me that God desires to be in relationship with me, I have nothing I can offer to God to make me worthy, on my best days I am still so far from being everything I need to be and yet God still loves me and wants me to be his very own... amazing.