Some time later Hezekiah became deathly sick. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz paid him a visit and said, “Put your affairs in order; you’re about to die—you haven’t long to live.”

Hezekiah turned from Isaiah and faced God, praying: Remember, O God, who I am, what I’ve done! I’ve lived an honest life before you, My heart’s been true and steady, I’ve lived to please you; lived for your approval.

And then the tears flowed. Hezekiah wept.

2 Kings 20:1-3 The Message

Eugene Peterson’s rendition of this story captures my heart.

Just a few words…“Hezekiah turned from Isaiah and faced God.”

And with that – life changed.

If we go on to read the text, we find that 15 years were added to Hezekiah’s life. Not because He was deserving, or because he asked with the right words, but simply because He chose to turn to the Lord and ask.

I wonder how much we miss out on in life because we don’t think to ask…

We are sick, so we sit in sickness.

We are depressed, so we lean into depression.

We are angry, so we give way to bitterness.

Hezekiah asked.

Looking straight in the face of a human who told him he would die, he turned away, and faced the Lord. He did not hesitate and ask Isaiah why this was happening to Him. He did not stand around and wonder what was going to happen next. He did not mope and feel sorry for himself. He fell into a posture of submission and wept before the Lord.

And the Lord listened.

And not only did the Lord listen, He healed Hezekiah.

But what if you have asked for healing…and nothing seems to happen?

It seems so wrong that healing of an earthly nature is not for everyone – especially when we want things to make sense. But it doesn’t always make sense, and things stink sometimes. We wonder when, how, and where it gets better?

What if our surroundings both internally and externally become too much to take? What if we are never able to move past the bondage that breaks us? What if we never heal?

In the Lords time, all things are healed.

Sometimes it looks nice to us, and sometimes it doesn’t.

It’s always perfect to Him.

And so we turn to the Lord and ask. Yes happens. And no happens. But we trust Him no matter what – knowing that when we turn to the Lord – when we focus our eyes first on Him – there is no wrong answer – only a perfect answer.