Isaiah 37:1–7, 14–20
“Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see.” – Isaiah 37:17
Click to read passage
When God Hears Your Cries.
The story is very straight forward. There was a national crisis. Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, had attacked and captured all the fortified cities of Judah. All that remained was for him to besiege Jerusalem.
Then King Hezekiah did something simple – he cried out to the LORD. King Hezekiah staked his confidence that the God of Israel will hear the cries of his heart and intervene on behalf of his people.
One interesting observation in this passage is the repeated use of the word “hear” or “heard.” The verb appears about ten times in verses 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 17. Observe the progression in what Hezekiah heard. He first heard the reality of the Assyrian military might. He heard the threats and the boasts of the Assyrian king. And ultimately, he pleaded with God to hear the situation and act to deliver His people.
What King Hezekiah heard were in many ways facts that the Assyrian king did destroy many nations and the gods of these nations were unable to save them from his military campaigns. However, his knowledge of God being LORD Almighty and the Creator of heaven and earth (v 16) did not suddenly made him stopped being afraid. Thankfully, that fear directed his heart to trust God. Hezekiah’s fear could have driven him to look for help from other sources. Instead, he brought his distress, his uncertainty and his helplessness before God.
King Hezekiah prayed that God will “Incline Your ear” (v 17) to the immediate crisis and deliver the nation. This reminds me of the the liturgy segment during the weekly service when we sing out in unison that God will incline his ear to hear us. That expression meant that God will pause to stoop down and lean close to us in our distresses. The late renowned pastor, Timothy Keller, quoted, ““The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 AM for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.”
Let’s not be mistaken that we can manipulate God to answer our prayers if we cry hard for God’s favour. But we can trust God’s heart. And even when we do not understand what He is doing, we can trust that He hears us and that He is near.
Looking back, we can see that Hezekiah’s cry to God was followed by God’s intervention. But at the moment Hezekiah prayed, he did not know exactly how God would answer. He may not have been certain, “Will God 100% answer my prayer?” But he was certain about something else: “God is 100% hearing my prayer.”
So take courage today. When God hears our cries, we are never crying into the void. We are crying out to our heavenly Father who listens.
Reflection:
What fear or distress do you need to bring before God today, trusting that He hears you?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, incline Your ear to us. Help us bring our fears to You and trust Your heart, even when we cannot see how You will answer. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
Click to read passage
When God Hears Your Cries.
The story is very straight forward. There was a national crisis. Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, had attacked and captured all the fortified cities of Judah. All that remained was for him to besiege Jerusalem.
Then King Hezekiah did something simple – he cried out to the LORD. King Hezekiah staked his confidence that the God of Israel will hear the cries of his heart and intervene on behalf of his people.
One interesting observation in this passage is the repeated use of the word “hear” or “heard.” The verb appears about ten times in verses 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 17. Observe the progression in what Hezekiah heard. He first heard the reality of the Assyrian military might. He heard the threats and the boasts of the Assyrian king. And ultimately, he pleaded with God to hear the situation and act to deliver His people.
What King Hezekiah heard were in many ways facts that the Assyrian king did destroy many nations and the gods of these nations were unable to save them from his military campaigns. However, his knowledge of God being LORD Almighty and the Creator of heaven and earth (v 16) did not suddenly made him stopped being afraid. Thankfully, that fear directed his heart to trust God. Hezekiah’s fear could have driven him to look for help from other sources. Instead, he brought his distress, his uncertainty and his helplessness before God.
King Hezekiah prayed that God will “Incline Your ear” (v 17) to the immediate crisis and deliver the nation. This reminds me of the the liturgy segment during the weekly service when we sing out in unison that God will incline his ear to hear us. That expression meant that God will pause to stoop down and lean close to us in our distresses. The late renowned pastor, Timothy Keller, quoted, ““The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 AM for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.”
Let’s not be mistaken that we can manipulate God to answer our prayers if we cry hard for God’s favour. But we can trust God’s heart. And even when we do not understand what He is doing, we can trust that He hears us and that He is near.
Looking back, we can see that Hezekiah’s cry to God was followed by God’s intervention. But at the moment Hezekiah prayed, he did not know exactly how God would answer. He may not have been certain, “Will God 100% answer my prayer?” But he was certain about something else: “God is 100% hearing my prayer.”
So take courage today. When God hears our cries, we are never crying into the void. We are crying out to our heavenly Father who listens.
Reflection:
What fear or distress do you need to bring before God today, trusting that He hears you?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, incline Your ear to us. Help us bring our fears to You and trust Your heart, even when we cannot see how You will answer. In Jesus’s name. Amen.