Trust what you know about God.

And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.” 

Isaiah 37:15-16

Hezekiah believed God was greater than the most powerful threat that Jerusalem faced. The empire of Assyria was brutal. The reputation of Assyria was efficient warfare, brutal treatment of all captive enemies, capture of leaders and public torture and execution, destruction of a conquered foe’s religion and culture, and complete assimilation of the territories and people of their conquest. And the king of Assyria himself had made the threat to destroy Judah.

Hezekiah’s first instinct as king was to take Sennacherib’s letter that threatened God’s people with total destruction and sought the surrender of Jerusalem, and to head to God’s temple, there to literally lay it all out before the Lord in worshipful prayer. Hezekiah trusted what he knew about God more than what he knew about Assyria. And his prayer of faith was honored because of this.

Hezekiah prayed to the mighty warrior God… the LORD of angel armies Who commanded the hosts of heaven. This was Israel’s God… in covenant with His people. This was the God enthroned above all heaven and earth. This was THE God over not only Israel, but over all the kingdoms of the earth. This was the Creator God Who made everything there is by His own powerful word. One king of one nation was nothing in comparison to the God that Hezekiah knew!

Faith asked God to keep true to Himself. Faith trusted God to be all that was in keeping with His character. Faith knew God would be faithful to His Word. Faith believed the Word of God. Faith prayed in confidence, knowing Who God is. And that same faith should guide my prayers even now, for God is still all these things. He is the Creator, Jesus is Lord over all the earth, and my King rules the nations! That is true right now, in what sometimes feels like upheaval culturally and politically, and it is true always.