ICS Daily Devotions
Seeking the Face of God in Crisis
2 Kings 19:1-2,5-7 And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord. Then he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz…. So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. And Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”
There are many things in life that are out of our control, such as macro events or natural disasters, and it is interesting how different people react differently in time of crisis. We should deal with crisis based on our beliefs, and this is especially true for leaders, whether it is the head of the household, the church, or the company, because their decisions will affect a lot of people.
Although King Hezekiah was a young king, he feared God and took the initiative to destroy the high places, sacred pillars and the bronze serpent which the people had started to worship with incense (2 Kings 18:4). He did everything that was right in the eyes of God. He trusted, relied on, and held fast to the God of Israel. These qualities are critical for any leader, particularly in time of crisis.
When Jerusalem was surrounded by an army of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, and the Assyrian commander has mocked Hezekiah and his God within earshot of the people on the wall, King Hezekiah took the initiative to seek out Isaiah the prophet, even though he was already seeking the face of God personally in the house of the Lord. God spoke through Isaiah that He would send his enemies back to his own land to die.
Let us examine how we respond in time of crisis? Do we blame God or do we seek His face for wisdom and guidance? We all face crisis in life but only seeking the face of God can get us through a crisis victoriously.
Sermon Series: The Four Lepers, The Officer and The King
