GOD SAYS, “COME, JUST AS YOU ARE”

(A series in the book of Isaiah: Chapter 38)

Isaiah chapter 38 gives us the narrative of the life of King Hezekiah.

He is legendary not for any acts of righteousness but for what God granted him.

He was granted a 15 years extension as an answer to his prayer for mercy.

His story is used by many to claim God’s promises for healing.

The very reason of God for healing Hezekiah is not clear to me.

Was it to just grant his please, or was it for a second chance?

I couldn’t figure it out for now. To leave it that way is also okay.

But here is something that I noticed in the chapter.

More than healing and extension of a king’s life. I saw two figures in this chapter.

God’s character and Hezekiah’s (representing fallen humanity). Hezekiah at the beginning of the chapter gave out his arguments to God and his please for life. He openly expressed his inner fears of death and his unreadiness to face the end of his life. He also accounted for his good deeds and acts of righteousness. He measures all the good that he thought was a good thing in the sight of God. In this picture, there is no doubt that Hezekiah represents who are we as humans. Hezekiah was no special man for God to mind his case.

He was no extraordinary man of faith even for God to notice and hear his cry. He was a mere messed up, proud, and self-righteous king.

I grew up thinking that I needed to be so upright before even God would mind me. I grew up thinking that I needed to be somebody in matters of faith and righteousness before God can ever approve of my status and decides to hear and listen to me. I really thought that was who God is. Then this radical understanding came to me that shook me. I wrestled to accept the new God introduced to me. I was introduced to a God that has not just accepted me just the way I am but who did more than that, He loved me even before I know Him.

In direct contrast to my crooked understanding of God, chapter 38 gives us a picture of the God who listens to Hezekiah, the God who heard Hezekiah’s cry. God did not put any conditions in front of Hezekiah before He had decided to hear him. God respected Hezekiah’s claims of himself and his own righteousness. When someone goes to God, He does not say and ask, is he or she faithful enough? If I listen to him or her will he or she not waste the chance I am giving? Will this person continually be faithful? I don’t see God as trying to balance if this person is worthy of mercy. Because many times, God is shown to be desperately calling us back, and any hint of our going back to Him, even if knowing that you will just leave Him again, he will take it and will be serious with it. That is how He loves us. That picture gives us how God desperately wants anyone who will come back regardless of how sincere you are as long as are back in His arms again.

God will always be faithful to hear our cause. God will always be faithful to listen to us regardless of our heart’s condition as long as we come to Him. Is or coming in faith or not, He will not reject you. This character was evident in how he dealt with Judas, too.

Friends, this may be already a cliché but God is telling us to come just as we are.

God is telling us to come and experience His faithfulness in the hope that by His love, it will beget love for Him from your heart.