2 Kings 20:1-11

John 4:46-54

I pray that after last week’s reflection on Gideon’s story, the Magi’s, the shepherds’, and even my own, that your eyes were opened to spiritually see the signs of God’s Presence in your life. Signs through which He reveals Himself, His will, His Love, His Grace. What did you see?! Let’s spend one more week on signs … 

God desires to be in a relationship with us. An intimate relationship with us. Not a relationship that is one-sided, but one that is a beautiful dance between lover and beloved. A dance where one holds while also being held, where one speaks and listens while also being heard and whispered to.

Hezekiah was a king of Judah. He relied on the Lord, was faithful to Him and did not turn from following Him. And the Lord was with Hezekiah to the point that wherever Hezekiah went the Lord was with him (2 Kings 18:5-7). Regardless, Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah to get his house in order because he was about to die. There seemed to be no hope. But God heard Hezekiah’s prayers, saw his tears and promised healing. Isaiah brought word of the promise that God would give Hezekiah an additional 15 years of life. God promised, yet Hezekiah still asked Isaiah for a sign that God would heal him and that he would go to the temple on the third day!! (Hezekiah might have already been healed when he asked for this sign. 2 Kings 20:7 tells us that a poultice of figs was laid on his infected skin and he was healed. In verse 8 Hezekiah asks Isaiah what the sign for his healing will be).

Hezekiah wanted a sign and Isaiah offered options! Hezekiah could choose whether the shadow would “go ahead ten steps or go back ten steps”. Given it was more supernatural for a shadow to “go back” than to be lengthened, Hezekiah requested the shadow “go back” ten steps. God provided the requested sign to Hezekiah. (Read the full account of Hezekiah’s story in 2 Kings 20:1-11 or Isaiah 38).

Regardless of whether Hezekiah’s infected skin might have already been healed or not, God had given His word that Hezekiah would enjoy another 15 years of life, so why would Hezekiah need a sign? Scripture tells us that Hezekiah trusted the Lord (2 Kings 18:5). Why didn’t Hezekiah trust God in this promise? Yet God didn’t condemn Hezekiah in his request for a sign,  rather He blessed him with the promised sign so that Hezekiah would know without a doubt that His Lord was still with Him, hearing His prayers, and revealing Himself through the promised sign.