Scripture: 2 Kings 20:19 – “Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?’”
Let me tell you about one of the most disappointing stories in the Bible. It comes from the Second Book of Kings and is about King Hezekiah. If you read Second Kings, you will notice a list of kings, how long their reigns were, and an evaluation of whether they were good or bad based on how closely they followed the commandments of God. Most kings in the book are bad, but Hezekiah is one of the good ones. He got rid of pagan rituals, and during his reign, his prayers helped Jerusalem be saved from the invincible Assyrian army.
So, it is disappointing how Hezekiah reacts when the prophet Isaiah tells him about how in the future, the Babylonians will carry off all his treasures. Hezekiah should be horrified and pray for deliverance, just like he did with the Assyrians. But instead, he says, “Oh, that’s nice.” Because he will be gone by the time this disaster occurs, he doesn’t worry about it.
Now, if Hezekiah had taken Isaiah’s prophecy seriously, he might have been more proactive in bringing faith to the people and teaching his children greater obedience to the scriptures. But instead, Hezekiah said, “Eh, not my problem.”
Unfortunately, life is more complicated than just the things that directly affect us at any given moment. We need to plan for the future and try to expect the unexpected. The small efforts we make today can make tomorrow easier and brighter for someone else.
This story always reminds me of how many approach the climate crisis. Even if we believe the predictions of scientists, the doom is always far away, and we have our own problems to deal with. We cannot say, “It is not my problem,” when it will be a problem for our children and grandchildren. We also apply this lesson to other global issues like the national debt.
But we cannot ignore what it says to our personal struggles, such as financial planning or housekeeping or when to forgive a loved one who has wronged us. Apathetic procrastination is never God’s way.
Today, think about an issue in your life that you have been neglecting. In your prayers, ask God how you should approach it. Can it stay on the back burner? Do you need to deal with it now? Listen to God, not to the voices of fear and procrastination, and take control of your situation. For the problems of our families, neighborhood, and planet are interconnected, and we each have a part to play in God’s design.
Prayer: God, guide me to do the things you would have me do for the sake of the future. Amen.
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