the Hezekiah Challenge

All good stories have a conflict--a challenge, a battle to fight or a journey to go on...Back in the book of Isaiah there is a strange and unique story regarding King Hezekiah.


The king receives a letter from his nemesis...a neighboring monarch that is ruthless and cruel...he outlines everything he plans on doing to the king and the people of Israel. You might believe that King Hezekiah tore his clothes, put ashes on his head...he didn't....but he did one thing...he put the letter scrolled out on the altar in the temple in front of the Lord.  He gave it over to the only one who could save him.

Sometimes when we have other alternative options it's much easier to count on ourselves.

It's easier when we are dire and desperate to reach out to the only one who can save us.

One other thing I know to be true....when I'm afraid that God might not really be there or worse--that he is silent or indifferent...it's easier for me not to ask for anything--that way my idea that he is there and is all powerful stays in tact.  If I ask for something and he is silent or he might not be there--or worse--that I am alone and abandoned becomes more than I can bare. Better that he is all powerful God and I could call on him at any time...if I wish to.

Fast forward to my dilemma...My son wants to go to college.  He has a partial scholarship and has been working hard to get the rest together ASAP.  It's a race against time that we are losing and hope is eroding quickly.

This past spring I clearly heard a few words from God while driving to work.  "I am going before him--I am going before Grant."Now I am not in the habit of hearing words every day...in fact rarely have I heard anything so clearly.

In the moment I felt great...God is going before my son...what more could I ever want to hear?  The only problem was what does that exactly mean?  With things not really falling into place I began to ask God "what did that statement mean?"  I told my son about it who didn't share my enthusiasm and looked a bit more skeptical.

I heard one more word...."wait."

Time was running out...so I pulled a Hezekiah.  I wasn't sure if God wanted Grant to go to college at UT or MTSU or community college or something even more different and radical.  I simply couldn't sleep, got up and read that story in the book of Isaiah and prayed to God for direction...I left the story of Hezekiah open on the computer table along with a note with the dollar amount Grant is short for qualifying with his finances. It wasn't as dire as someone attacking my kingdom--but I had shared the words I heard with my son and he needed to know that God does show up on our behalf...his words are to be counted on.

2 days passed...48 long hours.

You know what I'm talking about...the kind of quiet long hours that make you wonder what is going on behind the scenes and how will I know what God's will and intentions are?

In actuality--this isn't very long....then I received my answer...

I am happy to tell you that there is an opportunity for him to have the exact amount needed and it's quite unbelievable..an opportunity to work hard and get what he needs.  I can't share any more details because I need to protect the participants in the story.

I just want to say...we serve an incredible God.

He CAN and STILL DOES do what he wants to show his power and glory because he can.

If it meant no to college plans I wonder how my feelings would really be towards God...I would love to say I'd be all in and good, but I would be confused and trying to understand. I'm trying to be honest and real.

This was a prayer of a father pleading with God to make himself known in Grant's relationship to give them a history together for future struggles in his own story...and understanding that He does show up in the 11th hour at times....and He is amazing. I want him to know he can lay out the challenges in front of God -- and know he is heard.

Oh and what ever happened with King Hezekiah?  His enemy gathered his army together as a formidable force...and strangely all of the men were killed in the middle of the night inexplicably destroyed the army of 185,000 without even a fight....challenge answered.