Isaiah 39

I’ve been thinking about my dad a lot recently. {I would give almost anything to have a conversation with him about all that has gone on this year! I know he would have just the right perspective.} He taught me so many things—about how to live and, especially, about how to die. Most of what I learned from him wasn’t spoken, but observed. But today’s chapter made me think about an incredible lesson I learned from him shortly after he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease. His best friend had come to visit, and he (the friend) was obviously having a hard time accepting the news. During the course of their conversation, he looked at my dad and said, “Why you?” Without a thought, my dad shrugged and replied, “Why not me?”

It still moves me now, just to think about it. Because I know that there have been so many times in my own life when, confronted with a less-than-desirable situation, I was eager to whine, “Why me?!” As if I should be immune to life’s problems. Or, worse, as if I should wish for them to happen to someone else, just so long as I’m not affected.

Surprisingly, that was King Hezekiah’s attitude at the end of today’s chapter! He had done something very foolish—shown all the treasures of Judah to potential enemies—but when Isaiah told him that it would all lead to ruin for the nation and his own children further down the line, Hezekiah’s response was stunning: “‘The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,’ Hezekiah replied. For he thought, ‘There will be peace and security in my lifetime.’” (vs 8)

Wow! That was almost unbelievable to me! If I knew that something I had done was going to make life difficult and painful for my children, I hope my response would not be, “Well, that’s okay. At least the rest of my life is going to be smooth sailing!” I think I would be devastated.

Unfortunately, in Hezekiah, we see an example of a man who cared more about his own comfort than the plight of others. As long as he enjoyed peace, it seems he didn’t much care what even his own children would have to endure! By contrast, God is quite the opposite. He will gladly sacrifice Himself, enduring personal pain and discomfort, in an effort to make things easier for us. He doesn’t want to enjoy “peace and security” on the backs of His precious children.

No, Paul wrote that Jesus, “for the joy set before Him endured the cross.” (Heb 12:2) He didn’t refuse the cross and grab the joy. He didn’t take the good stuff and leave us to deal with the bad stuff. No, He voluntarily entered the mess we created and sacrificed Himself to save us. He always thinks of others before self.

When His creatures messed up His perfect creation, God could have sighed and said, “Why Me?” But He didn’t. He never says that. Instead, He said, “Why not Me?”

He took the fall and thought of us above all.