Don’t get me wrong. Hezekiah had a rotten home life. He didn’t have the best dad in the world. His father, Ahaz, had led the nation far away from the Lord. Ahaz had tried to redesign God’s temple, worshipped foreign gods, and did just about anything he could do rather than trust God. He was one of those kings who was described as "doing that which was evil" before the Lord (2Ki. 17; 2Chr. 28). Hezekiah’s good start obviously didn’t come from home, it came from the Lord.

Hezekiah’s good start came when it was his turn to be king. His good start came when he stood up and exercised control over his life. Who makes your choices for you?

The first thing Hezekiah did was restore the proper worship of God.

(2 Chr 29:3 KJV) He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

(2 Chr 29:27-31 KJV) And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. {28} And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. {29} And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. {30} Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped. {31} Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.

In 2Chr 30, Hezekiah has the entire nation celebrate the Passover for the first time in a long time. He even invites the few scattered Israelites that were still living in the north.

(2 Chr 31:1 KJV) Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.

True worship leads to house cleaning. He cleaned the temple.

You too, if you are going to expect to survive the difficult times ahead, are going to need to get a "good start".

Hezekiah was able to handle this great difficulty because he was prepared. Hezekiah’s preparation involved practical physical things.

(2 Chr 32:2-5 KJV) And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, {3} He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which were without the city: and they did help him. {4} So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water? {5} Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.

Though God is concerned that we take care of spiritual matters, He is just as concerned that we take care of physical things as well. There was wisdom for Hezekiah to cover over all the springs and reroute them into the city of Jerusalem. There was wisdom in building up the walls around Jerusalem and preparing weapons of war.

For us: There is nothing wrong with taking care of your health. If you are sick, go see a doctor. Take your medicine. Watch your diet.

Hezekiah’s whole reign was about encouraging people to trust God. He’s spent fourteen years encouraging the nation to follow after the Lord.

Now that the Assyrians were on their doorstep, did Hezekiah stop his spiritual routine in order to get prepared physically? No.

(2 Chr 32:6-9 KJV) And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying, {7} Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: {8} With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. {9} After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem…

Are you facing an Assyrian army on your doorstep? Perhaps it’s mounting financial bills. Perhaps your company is threatening layoffs. Perhaps it’s a crisis in a relationship. Perhaps it’s a semester project or final around the corner. There are physical things you can do to be prepared, but are you taking care of spiritual things as well?

(John 14:6 KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

(Prov 10:19 NIV) When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Sometimes I just talk too much. And that just gets me into trouble.