Isaiah 37:14-20

¹⁴ Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to Yahveh’s temple and spread it out before Yahveh. ¹⁵ Hezekiah prayed before Yahveh: ¹⁶ “O Yahveh who leads armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned over the cherubs! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. ¹⁷ Pay attention, Yahveh, and listen! Open your eyes, Yahveh, and observe! Listen to this whole message Sennacherib sent and how he mocks the living God. ¹⁸ It is true, Yahveh, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the countries and their lands. ¹⁹ They have burned the gods of the nations, because they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands made from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. ²⁰ Now, O Yahveh our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the land may know that you alone are Yahveh.”

in this corner…

Hezekiah’s prayer seems pretty bold to me. I am not sure I could easily pray a prayer like that. But it does not seem to bother God at all that this king came to his throne room in prayer and called on him to wake up and pay attention. Hezekiah understood that God’s sovereignty and concern for his people was being challenged. So, Hezekiah expected Yahveh to act to defend his own character and his own chosen people. This prayer was more like an introduction to a cosmic boxing match.

LORD, teach us to call you to action with our prayers, so that you have reason to rescue us, to defend your honour and protect your investment in us.