Family Friday. Have You Turned Your Face to the Wall and Wept?

When one finds oneself with a threatening disease and facing death, all kinds of emotions erupt.  Why has this happened to me?  What will happen to my children?  People stay away because they feel helpless to make a change.  Clouds of fear and depression close in.  The disease advances in the body and death threatens slowly, slowly.

This happened to a King in Israel a long time ago.  Here is the story.

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. 
The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: 
Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” 
And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 
Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. 
On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. 
I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’ ” (‭2 Kings‬ ‭20‬:‭1-6‬ NIV)
So Hezekiah’s servants spread the ointment over the boil, and Hezekiah recovered! (‭2 Kings‬ ‭20‬:7‬ NLT)

Imagine the king turning to the wall and weeping bitterly.  Have you ever been in distress about a situation, perhaps not only a health problem, when all you could do was lie on your bed and turn to the wall and weep?  Have you ever felt you can’t go on unless the situation changes?  One can think “Why bother doing good?”  “Why bother seeking to keep God’s laws?”  “Why bother denying myself when my friends get away with doing things they shouldn’t.  Nothing seems to happen to them?”

Psalm 13 describes how one often feels.

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?  (‭Psalm‬ ‭13‬:‭1-2‬ NIV)

I have turned to the wall many times and cried, particularly when I was facing death through cancer.  I was afraid.  I was sad.  All hope was gone.  But God saw me and healed me.  Jesus was moved with compassion and healed the multitudes.  Will he not have compassion on one person, that person being you or me.  

Hezekiah the king of Israel was facing death.  He was distressed and wept.  He didn’t just give up.  He reminded God that he had tried to live right before him and do good.  He put his case before God.  He talked to God.  He reasoned with God.  
God heard his prayer and saw his tears.  God changed his mind and sent the prophet back right away to tell the king that he would recover.   Isn’t that good news?  Take heart today that when you cry to God and reason with him he can quickly heal you.

I have more good news.  God has made a way where there is no way. Jesus died on the cross and shed his Blood to forgive all our sins and heal all our diseases.  Even if i haven’t lived right, if I believe in Jesus and call on his name and plead the Blood of Jesus before God our Father he will forgive and heal.  Having faith in Jesus brings results.

A young lady I know had Multiple Sclerosis.  Her condition had deteriorated till she was confined to bed.  She was no longer able to look after her husband and children.  She was being treated with medication from the doctor but she remained weak.  She cried out to God from her sick bed.  Through prayer she too has been totally healed, is restored to look after her family and has two more children.   

Another young pastor’s wife had cancer and she began to bleed. She was pregnant with her fifth child.  The doctors gave her pain relief and sent her home.  She was in terrible pain.  She reasoned with God.  “I have tried to serve you as best I know how.  Please heal me.”   She was totally healed in a few days.  The cancer passed from her body with no harm to her baby!  24 February 2015 “Testimony Tuesday, Young Mother Healed of Cancer”