15 Years to Live

In Isaiah 38 we encounter a sick Hezekiah who is at the point of death. Isaiah the prophet comes to him and tells him to set his house in order because he would be dying soon. Confronted with his imminent death, Hezekiah does what many of us might do: he prays to the Lord presumably to ask for an extension of life.

Perhaps to his surprise, but certainly to his delight, Hezekiah's life is extended by fifteen years. You can imagine what a relief that might have been to him, but it also might have been a weight on him as he considered the next fifteen years. How would he use those years? With what "works" would he want to occupy his hours?

If this were you, how would you answer those questions? If you knew you had 15 years and not a day more, how would you use those days? Would you do anything differently from what you are doing now? With what works would you occupy your time? You may want to try to answer those questions before you read on.

Later in the chapter we gain a glimpse into how Hezekiah answered those questions. In verses 18-19 Hezekiah writes, "For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down to the pit do not hope for your faithfulness. The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; the father makes known to the children your faithfulness."

Now at first glance Hezekiah's words don't ring true. Do those who die in the Lord not give thanks? Do they not offer praise to their God? All that we understand from Scripture seems to indicate that we do offer praise and thanks and worship to God throughout eternity. So how could Hezekiah say that we do not?

A closer look reveals that Hezekiah is speaking of offering thanks and praise to God before men. The last phrase of verse 19 takes us there. "...The father makes know to the children your faithfulness." Hezekiah is saying that death stops that flow of thanks and praise to God whereby others, especially our children, are able to gain benefit and themselves learn to thank and praise the Lord.

So from this what do we learn about how Hezekiah would use his final 15 years? Though I am sure this passage doesn't answer the question fully, it certainly shouts out that Hezekiah would see to make known the faithfulness of God to his children and his children's children. He would seek to use his days to point others to the grace, mercy and love of the Lord.

Did that answer feature prominently in your answer to the question? If you knew God had given you 15 years and not a day more, would you give yourself, in every circumstance of life, to point others to Christ? Would you seek to offer thanks and praise to God in such a way that others would come to know His faithfulness? Would you give yourself to pointing future generations to the Christ who is life and gives life in abundance?

Hopefully, that is what your focus of life is right now, and that the notice of fifteen years remaining would mean no change at all in your focus and lifestyle. May the Lord help us to live this day in light of the brevity of life, and invest our energies in those things that will last.