Praying for Restoration of Health

 It seems that our world is beset by health problems. Everywhere we turn we hear of someone else coming down with some disease or having some harmful health condition. In our prayer times and in our prayer meetings we pray for healing and restoration of health for these people. Sometimes God answers our prayers with healing and sometimes, He doesn't. I know it is hard to accept no as His answer, but He knows best. 

King Hezekiah was stricken with a deadly condition, and Isaiah told him to prepare for death. However, Hezekiah prayed for healing. (Isaiah 38:16) He cried out to the Lord that he wanted to continue to live. He asked God to restore his health and to allow him to live. God answered his prayer by adding 15 years to his life. Was that really the best thing that could have happened?

King Hezekiah got to live 15 more years. He was able to reign, but he made a serious mistake by showing all of the Babylonian representatives who came to Jerusalem all of the treasures of his kingdom. Isaiah had to tell Hezekiah that all of those treasures would be taken to Babylon in the exile that would come. Also, in those years he had a son, Manasseh. His terrible sinful reign as king brought on the exile of Judah.

So, the question is, "Would Hezekiah and Judah have been better off, if Hezekiah had accepted God's will for his death?" I think the answer is yes. That is why I think we should pray for restoration of health, and pray for God's will to be done at the same time. We don't want God to answer our prayer for healing if what we want is not His perfect will. I know this may seem hard to understand, but it is something to seriously consider.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 40-42.