When we want more... (part 1)
| In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover." Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. (2Kings20:1-3) |
Hezekiah's time had come.
God even gave him time to prepare.
He'd had a significant life and had run a good race.
But he wanted more...
And so an unusual thing happens, God grants Hezekiah 15 extra years. This promise is accompanied by healing and a miracle where the sun moves back 15 steps on the staircase Hezekiah could see from his bed.
The sad thing is that in these 15 extra years Hezekiah loses the plot.
He amasses wealth like crazy, he displays the wealth of his kingdom to the Babylonian emissaries who come to visit, he fathers a son named Manasseh who will the most evil king the Southern Kingdom has.
It would have been better if Hezekiah had been content with God's initial plan.
And this is the mystery and complexity. Although God is sovereign, He allows us free will and He will sometimes give us what we want but it comes with risks and responsibilities.
Hezekiah squandered the extra years he had been given and tomorrow we will see how self-centred he became in that time. This is a great tragedy. We started the story of Hezekiah with: "There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses." But, sadly, Hezekiah squandered the gift he'd been given, and part of it is because he wanted more...
There are times that our discontent and wanting more can derail our lives...
To what extent could the instances of "I want more" in your life be derailing your future and legacy?
