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Day 101, or April the 11th.

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God really does know best.

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Our thoughts today are from 2 Kings, chapter 20, verse 1.

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In those days, Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death.

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The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, went to him and said, This is what the Lord says.

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Put your house in order, because you are going to die.

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You will not recover.

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Now the big picture surrounding this verse.

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After the scattering of northern Israel, the Bible concentrate on what remains for the

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rest of the book of 2 Kings.

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Judah in the south continues to flourish despite the Assyrians, who have conquered the north

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and now are trying their best to take the south too.

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There is a faithful king on the throne in Jerusalem, and his name is Hezekiah.

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His prophet is Isaiah.

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The odds are all against Judah surviving, but with the help of God they do.

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One of the most godly kings, Hezekiah, is replaced by one of the most wicked and godless,

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his son, Manasseh.

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And now today's action step.

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The words that Isaiah gave to Hezekiah are the words that many of us dread for either

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ourselves or those we love.

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Our instant response is to argue and ask for an extension.

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In medical jargon we would insist on a second opinion, but where God is concerned there

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is no second authority.

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He is the first and only opinion that matters, but he can change things if he so wishes.

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In this case he made a slight change for Hezekiah.

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I read recently that it would not be long before science would be able to offer immortality

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to mankind, as it would be able to replace or regrow all parts of our body that wear

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out.

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The mind boggles.

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God gives Hezekiah another fifteen years, but they are far from his best years, and

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really prove that God's timing is always best.

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Hezekiah makes a couple of major blunders during his extra years.

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He shows weakness towards the Babylonians, who invade and conquer after his death, and

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he fathers wicked Manasseh.

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Enjoy life to the full and let God count the days, so you can enjoy all of them.