Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. From watchtower to fortified city, he defeated the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory.
– 2 Kings 18:5-8
Devotion
The name Hezekiah means “God is my strength.” This is a fitting theme for the story of Hezekiah’s reign, as he relied on the strength of God in many very difficult situations. Hezekiah came to power at a tumultuous time in Judah’s history. The Assyrians had begun to make incursions into Israel in the fifty years prior. Judah’s strength was severely depleted during the years prior to Hezekiah’s reign. Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, was very wicked. He did great evil in the eyes of the Lord. Judah was not only weak politically and militarily; but also spiritually. It was during these dark days in Judah’s history that Hezekiah took over the throne of Judah. Hezekiah was 25 years old and reigned for 29 years.
The Big Question
Hezekiah was one of the best southern kings, because he learned the secret of relying on the power of his Almighty God. His first few years were dedicated to spiritually reforming Judah. When you face difficulties, where do you turn? Who or what do you rely on when you exhaust your own resources? What spiritual reforms is God asking you to make in this new year?
Spend some time in prayer meditating on what God revealed to you today.