Contemplative Bible Reading

Isaiah 38:1-3 (New Living Translation)

1 About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’”

2 When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, O Lord, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly.

This is the (hi)story of King Hezekiah. This could be the story of just about all of us.

Hezekiah doesn’t want to die. He served God single-mindedly. He broke down and wept bitterly at the thought of dying, of leaving this current life with its pleasures and miseries.

This is part of the human condition. We cling to this life. We cling to what we know and fear what we don’t, what we have not experienced. Even the future glory of heaven…it is strange, we want to go, but we don’t want to leave.

Lord, help my in my unbelief.