“Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.” (Isaiah 37:17 NIV)
King Hezekiah did not know what to do. How was he supposed to deal with the threatening letters from the Assyrian king? His army was not strong enough to defeat the enemy. The people could easily lose courage. Hezekiah himself had done what he could, but feared that it would not be enough. Only God could still help now.
In fact, the Assyrians had challenged Him directly by placing the God of Israel on the same level as the powerless idols of other nations. The conflict was not only about the conquest of Jerusalem and the welfare of the Israelites, but also about the honor of “the living God.” Therefore, Hezekiah brought the letters of the Assyrian messengers to the temple and spread them out before the Lord. In this way, he literally laid the situation before God.
He prayed: “Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.” (Isaiah 37:20 NIV)
There may be situations in your own life that leave you at a loss. Or you may feel powerless in the face of the suffering of others. Which situation would you want to lay before God? What do you expect from Him in that situation?