Bible in 365: Day 208
08/03/2012 at 5:00 am 3 comments
Ship in the Stormy Sea (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
2 Kings 18:9-19:37; Psalm 46/80/135
What is your initial response when you get bad news?
Do you call your mom or best friend to talk about it? Do you isolate yourself and cry? Think about how you responded the last time you received really awful news.
Now, let’s look at what King Hezekiah did when he received bad news. First remember that King Hezekiah had already stripped the temple of gold to “pay off” the king of Assyria so he would leave them alone. Even after he did that, he receives news that the king of Assyria is basically taunting his people and telling them that Assyria is going to conquer Judah.
“When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord.” (2 Kings 19:1) His first response was to mourn but to do it in the presence of God. He prayed!
Later, we find out he receives more taunting from the king of Assyria (in the form of a letter). “Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord…” (2 Kings 19:14-15) So, upon receiving more bad news, what does Hezekiah do? He prays! He talks directly to God. He explains the situation and asks God to be merciful.
So, the next time you are faced with bad news, what are you going to do? If you said, “Pray,” then you get a gold star for the right answer. 
Just remember that it is one thing to know what to do and it is a completely different thing to actually put it into practice. Try to put it into practice.
And a little reminder from the Psalms: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its water roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalm 46:1-3)
Entry filed under: Bible in 365. Tags: Assyria, Bad news, Book of 2 Kings, Book of Psalms, God, Hezekiah, King Hezekiah, Lord, Pray, Prayer, What to do when you get bad news.
1.
Dawn | 08/04/2012 at 6:12 am
When the messengers went to see Isaiah, they went to the temple. Do you think Isaiah was living in the temple? That little detail just sorta struck me in the midst of the story.
Now to answer your question. Last time I received bad news, Mom was the one who delivered it. Yes I cried. Lots. My reaction was to text 5 important people – you, Jess, Sharisa, Laura, and Christi. Everyone else who needed to know received either an email or FB message. But what was interesting was that morning, Sharisa and I carried on a text conversation, not about the news I’d received but just things.
I think my typical response to bad news is to first isolate myself and cry, then next call my best friend(s).
2.
themoptimist | 08/05/2012 at 7:31 am
Similar for me to, but I want my initial reaction to be humbled i prayer before God…working on it.
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