Spread It Out Before God

Read

Isaiah 37:14-16 “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: ‘LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.’”

Think

King Hezekiah had a big problem. A huge problem.

The king of a country called Assyria was a bully king. His army had beaten lots of other countries, and now he wanted to take over Hezekiah's city, Jerusalem. So he sent Hezekiah a letter. And it was not a nice letter.

The letter said something like, “Don't trust your God. He can't save you. I've beaten everyone else, and I'm going to beat you too.”

Can you imagine getting a letter like that? Hezekiah's stomach must have dropped all the way to his toes.

So what did Hezekiah do? He didn't hide the letter or rip it up. He didn't pretend it wasn't there. He took that scary letter to the temple, God's house, and spread it out in front of God.

It was like he was saying, “God, look at this. Here's my problem. I'm giving it to you.”

Then he prayed. And the first thing he talked about was how big God is. He said God alone rules over every kingdom on earth. He said God made heaven and earth.

Hezekiah's problem was big. But he remembered that God was bigger.

You can do something a lot like that at home. Picture a boy named Marcus who gets a note from his teacher. His math test did not go well, and he's nervous. He thinks about stuffing the note in the bottom of his backpack. But he doesn't. At home, he spreads it out on the kitchen table and says, “Mom, I need help with this.”

His mom doesn't yell. She sits down right next to him, and they figure it out together. The problem feels so much smaller once it's out on the table.

That is what God wants you to do with your problems. Don't hide them. Don't stuff them away. Bring them to him and spread them out.

You can pray, “God, here's what's going on. Here's what scares me.” Nothing you bring is too big or too small.

And just like Hezekiah, start by remembering who you're talking to. He's the God who made heaven and earth. Your problem is real, but God is bigger.

Apply

Lay it out for God – Write or draw something that is worrying you on a piece of paper. Lay it on your bed or a table and pray over it. Tell God, “This is yours now. You are bigger than this.”

Pray

God, you made heaven and earth. You are bigger than any problem I have. Today I'm bringing my worries to you instead of hiding them. Please help me. In Jesus' name. Amen.