The Long View

 “Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good,’ for he thought: There will be peace and security in my lifetime.” (Isaiah 39:8)

            The “word of the Lord” Hezekiah referred to was the prophecy of Isaiah: “The time will certainly come when everything in your place and everything your fathers have stored up until this day will be carried off to Babylon; nothing will be left.” (Isaiah 39:6)  Isaiah prophesied this because King Hezekiah had shown Babylonian envoys everything in his palace, including his treasuries and his armory.  His action was a foolish expression of pride that would cost Judah.

            The only thing more foolish than Hezekiah’s action was his response to Isaiah’s prophecy.  Generally he said: “Well, that’s ok.  At least there will be peace and security in my lifetime.”  His response was self-centered and short-sighted.  Most self-centeredness normally turns out to be short-sighted.  Short-sightedness wastes future opportunities, and it impacts others beyond our view.

            Go for the long view.  Follow the God of the long view, who loved us before the foundations of the world were laid, and who brought millennia-long plans to fruition in sending His Son, so that we might have eternal life.  He is the One we need to follow, for it is in following Him that we break through our self-centeredness and our short-sightedness.  

Lord, We choose the long view, and we trust You to lead us in Your sovereignty to use us as You will in carrying out Your plans.  Amen.