There have been many articles and shows lately…
You’ve seen and heard about them. They document houses that are not ordered. Cluttered. Filled with things that should not be there. Hoarded junk. Stinking rot. Death.
Homes that have not been cared for properly and are slowly returning to the condition that the environment introduces. Paint faded. Rotten. Wet. Mossed out. Slowly being consumed by the elements.
Somewhere along the way, the occupants have lost their ability or interest in caring for their property. The value is fading. The viability is disappearing.
This speaks to me on so many levels. Health. Finances. Weight. Teeth. Relationships. Car. Home. Property. Church. Spiritual. What we fail to keep repaired for long term use will eventually fall to the elements of misuse or ill maintenance.
But what if… What if you were given the opportunity of time and ability to repair everything back to a semblance of normality? Repair your health. Assure your finances. Trim that weight. Reconnect with that proper relationship. Update that car. Fix the home, and schedule a good payoff. Return to God and your church. Build up that spiritual person that you are supposed to be.
What if…
King Hezekiah was sick unto death. The prophet came unto him and delivered the word of God.
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ ” (2 Kings 20:1 NKJV)
Oh, what would you do? Wring your hands? Fret about what’s left undone and who will be hurt by your passing? Hasten the even with your worry? I wonder what Hezekiah did?
Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD, saying, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. (2 Kings 20:2-3 NKJV)
He prayed! He reminded the Lord of his life. And then he wept bitterly. In this case, Bitterly means a “great overflowing of tears”. Probably hot with regret. Bitter tears. So much left to do.
A friend of mine passed to cancer. Daniel Calk. Son-in-Law to Bishop James Kilgore, husband to Jan, father to Chris and Danielle. Back around 1990. He had a great future. Great family. I remember how he used to take his daughter on a date Saturday mornings. His dad was my pastor when I was in kindergarten. Life has a way of circling our walk from one generation to the next. With his passing I kept this thought running through my heart – no longer would he get to experience his family. Prayers were poured out for his healing, but as with many before and since, not every prayer gets answered the way we want.
(Another friend of mine, Philip Harrelson, was at the church when Daniel returned to preaching after his diagnosis and some treatment. Read his posting about that day, and the sermon here.)
Look back at what happened to Hezekiah and his prayers….
And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. And I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David.” ‘ ” (2 Kings 20:4-6 NKJV)
Think with me for a moment. God told him to get his house in order. Hezekiah prayed. God told him he was going to die. Hezekiah prayed. And wept bitter tears.
This time God answered the tears and prayers!
How do you get your house in order? Pray. Weep bitter tears over the loss. Get your house in order. Depend upon God. Order will come.