https://odb.org/2025/11/04/anything-to-say
Isaiah 38:1–6 (NIV): 38 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.”
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3 “Remember, 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.
4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
King Hezekiah became ill and had something on his heart to say to God after the prophet Isaiah told him he was going to die (Isaiah 38:1). He “wept bitterly” and pleaded, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion” (v. 3). His was an honest, desperate appeal for deliverance. Even though healing isn’t dependent on our “goodness,” and God doesn’t always heal, He chose to extend the king’s life by fifteen years (v. 5). After his recovery, Hezekiah thanked and praised Him (v. 16).(Anne Cetas, ODB, 4th November 2025)
One of the more well-known Kings in the Old Testament besides the trio of Saul, David and Solomon is King Hezekiah. Hezekiah is famous for having pleaded with God to extend his life when he fell gravely ill. Because of his prayer, the LORD extended his life by another fifteen years! Truly life and death is in the hand of God but most importantly as believers the point is God hears our prayers.
Certain things may look impossible like asking God to heal us from aggressive and terminal cancer. But we know that even stage 4 cancer patients have miraculously been healed through prayers of the saints. Even as we have been given authority by Jesus Christ to pray for the sick, the healer is still God and it is by His grace and mercy. Not everyone we pray for will be healed but there will be those who will be. All we need to do is to move out in faith and pray, believing in the grace and mercy of God.
But prayer extends beyond just physical well being and health. There are even impossible situations in the family or at work that prayer can change. As the saying goes, prayer moves mountains. Or prayer moves the hands of God. Prayer changes situations because it penetrates into the spiritual realm and calls for the will of God be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Pray for ideas and solutions if, for example, our business is threatened by changing consumer habits or economic tides. Maybe if our “brick and mortar” retail store has not been doing well for a number of years now, pray that the Lord will help us start another business? Or perhaps it’s time for us to retire and serve God more with our time?
The message this morning is to spend more time praying, for things which bother us and for our loved ones. That God will protect them from harm and give them the strength and ingenuity to deal with issues of life. That the spirit of salvation will sweep their hearts and the Holy Spirit will touch them. Once we start praying, we will realise that there are many things we may pray for. Let us become a vessel to bring change and transformation to our own lives and for the lives of those we are praying for. Amen!
P/S
We left Seremban at 5.30 am for PJ yesterday and so didn’t have enough of a window to prepare and do a writeup.
Ronnie's Thoughts 