(Our Daily Bread 13 November 2023) ODB Message
Read (Our Daily Bread 13 November 2023) ODB Message for Monday written by Dave Branon and Insight by Bill Crowder
TOPIC: A Card and Prayer
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Lamentations 1–2; Hebrews 10:1–18
KEY VERSE: Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. – 2 Kings 20:2
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 20:1–7
INSIGHT
Hezekiah’s father was the wicked King Ahaz. But Hezekiah, who reigned for twenty-nine years, is generally considered to have been one of the good kings of Judah (the Southern Kingdom during the divided kingdom era). He enacted important religious reforms, including reopening the temple of Solomon (2 Chronicles 29:3), ordering the removal of idols throughout his kingdom (vv. 5, 15–17), and warning his people not to abandon the true God (vv. 6–11). Idolatry ceased not only in the kingdom of Judah but also in many areas in the kingdom of Israel. Although Hezekiah was one of the “good” kings of Judah, his son Manasseh, who succeeded him, was one of the worst kings of the Southern Kingdom (2 Kings 21:1, 6).
(Our Daily Bread 13 November 2023) MESSAGE:
The recently widowed woman was growing concerned. To collect some vital funds from an insurance policy, she needed key information about the accident that had taken her husband’s life. She had talked to a police officer who said he’d help her, but then she lost his business card. So she prayed, pleading with God for help. A short time later, she was at her church when she walked by a window and saw a card—the policeman’s card—on a windowsill. She had no idea how it got there, but she knew why.
She took prayer seriously. And why not? Scripture says that God is listening for our requests. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,” Peter wrote, “and his ears are attentive to their prayer” (1 Peter 3:12).
The Bible gives us examples of how God responded to prayer. One is Hezekiah, the king of Judah, who became ill. He’d even received word from Isaiah, a prophet, saying he was going to die. The king knew what to do: he “prayed to the Lord” (2 Kings 20:2). Immediately, God told Isaiah to give the king this message from Him: “I have heard your prayer” (v. 5). Hezekiah was granted fifteen more years of life.
God doesn’t always answer prayers with things like a card on a windowsill, but He assures us that when difficult situations arise, we don’t face them alone. God sees us, and He’s with us—attentive to our prayers.
REFLECT: What tops your list of concerns? How can you give them to God, asking for His guidance and help?
PRAYER: Father, thank You for being there and hearing my prayers.
Our Daily Bread Devotional 13th November 2023, Monday ODB Message . Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet.
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