What do we do when we receive really bad news?

Do we worry?

We can’t sleep?

Our thoughts become consumed by our concerns?

We are filled with dread?

We often react to bad news with some combination of these actions.

In 2 Kings 19, King Hezekiah received a letter from the mighty King of Assyria filled with the really bad news that he was going to attack Jerusalem.

How did Hezekiah react?

He took the letter to the temple, spread it out before the Lord and prayed.

What a great example for us!  Instead of worrying, fretting and then worrying some more,  we need to lay it all at God’s feet.  We need to let the Creator of the Universe take care of it.

God took care of Hezekiah’s bad news.  The angel of the Lord killed a large number of the Assyrian solders and the rest of them retreated.

God always answers our prayers.  Sometimes its a ‘yes’ like with Hezekiah.  Sometimes he says ‘no’ because it’s not his will for us.  Other times he says ‘wait’ and he grows our patience when we wait faithfully for his answer.

Because he always answers.

Thank you, Abba Father.