“As long as my faith gives me peace and security, who cares if the next generation suffers.”

When Pastor Shawn uttered that sentence I felt exposed. Like a doctor’s scalpel, God used those words to go beneath my skin and expose the heart within. Where were the places where I used faith to cover my self-centeredness?

Where was I failing to see the eternal impact of my selfish actions?

Worse than having a Hezekiah Heart would be hearing this word from God, and then not personalizing it for my own life. Pastor Shawn said that Hezekiah’s story was put in Isaiah’s book to serve as a invitiation from God to the reader:

“Come examine who you are in light of who I am.”

As followers of Jesus, it is important for us not only to hear God’s word, but to “mediate on God’s decrees” (Psalm 119:48) and allow it to touch our everyday lifestyle. Here are two questions to ask this week to aid you in that

Application:

1. Does my schedule reflect a Hezekiah Heart?

This may seem like a strange question to ask first, but our schedules reflect our priorities. A wise business leader says, “It’s not your vision statements that communicate your values; it’s the systems and structures you put in place that communicate your values.”

We can apply that same principle to the “systems and structures” we set up in our daily schedule. You and I make time for what we value. And though the “environments” around us (work, community, family) push and pull for our time, in the end it is our responsibility to say “Yes” and “No” to the demands of life.

Pray through your schedule and allow God to expose the motives and values behind what you do. Does your schedule reflect Hezekiah’s motives or the Suffering Servant’s?

By the way, the common answer of “I do what I do so I can provide for my family” can still have the wrong, self-centered motives behind it. Don’t justify your lifestyle. Let God do that.

2. Do I reflect a Hezekiah Heart towards the lost and unchruched?

When was the last time you got “uncomfortable” in your faith so that someone else might have the chance to see the revealed Christ? When was the last time you ran the risk of a ruined reputation so that someone else might hear the hope of the gospel? Honestly, these are my common answers to those questions:

“I don’t know what to say.”

“I don’t know if they will receive it.”

And here is Jesus’ response:

“While you were still a sinner, before you even had a chance to accept me, I gave up my peace, my reputation, my influence, my life, so that you could have a chance to say ‘Yes.'” (Romans 5:8).

So ask God what habits you can establish so that you never choose a Hezekiah Heart when engaging the lost and unchurched?

— Brandon Baldwin, Worship Pastor

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