II Kings 20:5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.
Prayer Can Change Things
II Kings 20 is the most remarkable story because it is the story of how God stated one thing, a man begged for another, and God answered his request. On so many levels I don’t fully comprehend it. The good news is that I do not have to comprehend every aspect of this story to get the primary message. I need to put my dependence on God, whether or not I have completely figured Him out.
II Kings 20:1 says, “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet…said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.” Now this leaves no wiggle room. It is pretty conclusive. Then Hezekiah begged God, reminding Him of his heart for God, and then he asked God to heal him.
Verses 5-6 say that God told Hezekiah through His prophet, “I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years…” Verse 7 says, “He recovered.”
This is a strange thing. Does God know the future? Yes. Did God state flatly that Hezekiah would die? Yes, He did. What’s going on? God heard Hezekiah’s prayer. God turned again; He heard; He healed; He added; He changed the future. Someone says, “Do you think that prayer can dictate to God?” No, that’s why we pray. Prayer is not demanding. It is beseeching. Well, how can a God who knows the future state something then respond to a human’s prayer? Thankfully, I don’t have to reconcile those things in my mind to trust God with my heart. The bottom line is that prayer changes things, and it reaches the ears of a holy, omnipotent God.
I don’t need to fully understand God’s ways and actions in order to rest in God’s character. Does God know the future? Yes. Does God answer prayer? Yes. I don’t have to comprehend God in order to trust God. I should study and learn to understand God as much as I can, but I don’t have to fully understand God to trust Him.
Know that God stands in the future, hears your prayers, and answers them. This may change you, but it most certainly can change the outcome of your day.