30 Days of Prayer. Unanswered.

Nathan: 00:00

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, 3 and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Isaiah. Isaiah 38:2, 3. Hi, it’s Nathan, and this is Day 24 of 30 Days of Prayer. The story of Hezekiah’s answered prayer is actually quite tragic. Its single terrifying lesson: some prayers, no matter how desperate they are, are better left unanswered. See, after Hezekiah sobbed out his desperate plea for healing, he got better. During his years as king prior to this event, he a stellar record. However, during the 15 years after his healing, things didn’t go so well—in fact, these last 15 years would set the course for his nation’s demise. First, after being healed, he was honored with a visit from the Babylonians. In response, he promptly showed off vast national, never once acknowledging the God’s central role in Israel’s prosperity—and this failure of focus came with devastating results. The Babylonians began to plot how to get their hands on the nation’s wealth—and would ultimately succeed. Second, during his final 15 years, a son was born. Named Manasseh, this son would become one of the worst kings to occupy the nation’s throne, ruling some 55 years—nearly all of which were filled with atrocities and rebellious living. Manasseh’s reign quite literally spelled the ultimate end of the nation. They never did recover from his rebellious trajectory. All beginning when Hezekiah’s prayer was answered. The sobering lesson: sometimes the very best answer is the one we don’t want.