In the writing of Isaiah the prophet, he records the conflict between Hezekiah, the King of Judah and King Sennacherib of Assyria, the dominant world power of his day. Sennacherib sends a letter to Hezekiah that begins in this manner:

¹⁰“This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria.

Isaiah 37:10

How often have I heard those words, not from a foreign king, but from the enemy of my soul? There is nothing he likes more than to terrorize and frighten the children of God. He routinely calls into question God’s care for me. Hezekiah does something with this letter that is instructive as I face threatening situations.

¹⁴After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord’s Temple and spread it out before the Lord. ¹⁵And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord: ¹⁶“O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. ¹⁷Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see!”

Isaiah 37:14-17

He went alone before the Lord, took the letter and laid it out and then he prayed. He acknowledged the greatness of God and his mighty power; then he asked him to intervene. And God did. Listen to the Lord’s response to Hezekiah’s posture of dependence.

²¹Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you prayed about King Sennacherib of Assyria, ²²the Lord has spoken this word against him:

Isaiah 37:21-22

I don’t know what you are facing today, but I encourage you to take whatever is threatening your peace to the Lord. Write it on paper and lay it before him. Then pray and watch him intervene!