Praying "so That" Prayers
Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 19:14-19
“Our God, deliver us … so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God.”
2 Kings 19:19
Today’s verses relate a very important story about a prayer of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
The king of Assyria has threatened Jerusalem and warned that unless God’s people surrender, he will cut off the water supply to the city. In the face of this serious threat to his people, King Hezekiah goes into the temple and prays.
You might think Hezekiah would pray first of all for deliverance—and for water! But his prayer in this moment of crisis is for God’s honor and glory.
Hezekiah’s prayer is not just for the rescue of Jerusalem but for the proclamation that the Lord is the one true God throughout the earth. Other kingdoms serve false gods that are made of wood or stone and fashioned by human hands. Sennacherib’s armies have destroyed all those gods. But the God of Israel is the God who made heaven and earth. He is the sovereign God who can never be destroyed.
Heroes of faith do not seek their own glory. They recognize that their life is an instrument for use by the living God. Hezekiah’s prayer asks for deliverance—“so that” all kingdoms may know that “the LORD” is the one true God.
We grow in faith when we turn our prayers into “so that” prayers for God’s glory.
Dear God, in offices, at job sites, in our homes and schools, may we live and pray “so that” others may know that you alone are the true God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Julius T. Medenblik
Rev. Jul Medenblik is a former attorney who was called to pastoral ministry and became the founding pastor of a church in New Lenox, Illinois. He is currently serving as president of Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jul and his wife, Jackie, are blessed with a son, Joshua, and a daughter, Julianne.
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