President John F. Kennedy once remarked that ‘when written in Chinese, the word “crisis” is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.’ Forty years ago, I worked under a manager who had a similar philosophy. When I approached him with a ‘problem’, he would respond: “No, you don’t have a problem; you have an opportunity.” I would sometimes walk away frustrated and say under my breath, “I may have an opportunity, but it is still a problem.” All of us will certainly face crises which are often caused by unexpected difficulties. How should we respond to such unexpected difficulties in our personal lives?


In Psalm 107:23-32 the psalmist tells us to cry out to the Lord in prayer when we face major storms. This passage describes men facing trouble as reeling to and fro, staggering like drunken men and coming to their wits’ end. But, ‘Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.’ (v.28). God is never late, never early. He is always on time.


Have you ever been taunted or mocked for your faith in God? Have you ever been asked, ‘Do you really think that God is with you?’ Or, ‘Isn’t he just your imaginary friend?’ God’s people have been taunted this way down through history. Such was the case in today’s reading found in Isaiah 37:1-38:22. The people of God were facing an attack on Jerusalem from Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and his huge army. The initial threat of attack was delivered by Rabshaketh, one of Sennacherib’s minions, to servants of King Hezekiah. Rabshaketh’s message was one that taunted and ridiculed the people’s faith in God. In 36:14-15 we read his words, “Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you. Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, the Lord will surely deliver us: this city shall not
be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.”


King Hezekiah responded to the crisis by sending for the prophet Isaiah and asking him to pray. Later, after receiving a threatening letter from the king of Assyria and realizing the seemingly impossible situation, King Hezekiah went to the Lord in prayer. “Incline thine ear, O Lord and hear; open thine eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.” (37:17). God heard the prayers of Isaiah and Hezekiah and delivered his people.


Unfortunately, the name of Jesus is no longer honored in our society today. As Christians we should consider this a crisis but not simply throw our hands up in defeat. Rather we should pray for courage and determination to take every opportunity to share our faith in Christ Jesus with others.