December 5, 2025
Daily Devotional:
“From Despair to Deliverance”
Isaiah 38:4
"I have heard your prayer and seen your tears."
This whole chapter recounts the miraculous story of King Hezekiah's sickness and recovery. It moves through deep despair, fervent prayer, divine intervention, and humble thanksgiving. Hezekiah receives a death sentence, not from a doctor, but from God's own prophet. His reaction is not a public show, but a private, deeply personal moment of prayer facing the wall.
When we face our own "death sentences" in the loss of a job, a crushing diagnosis, or a broken relationship, an unexpected life mishap, we often feel the cold finality of the prophet's words. But Hezekiah shows us the only appropriate response is to turn to God, not away from Him. His prayer is a reminder of his past faithfulness as he appeals to God's character and his own wholehearted devotion. God's response is immediate, personal, and complete: "I have heard your prayer and seen your tears." He reverses the verdict and adds fifteen years to Hezekiah's life.
This is the power of intercessory prayer, in adding the miracle of extra years in his life. God is not a cold, unbending force, rather He is a loving Father who can be moved by the genuine, weeping prayer of His children. He does the impossible to assure us that His promise is certain.
Let's pause and pray, what seemingly final word or situation are you facing today? Do you truly believe that your prayers can change God's mind or alter His initial plan? Turn your heart to God and pour out your tears and your devotion to Him.