II Chronicles 29-32  Hezekiah became king at the age of 25. His father Ahaz had provoked the Lord and ruined the temple, but Hezekiah was not anything like his father.  In the very first month of his rule Hezekiah reopened the house of the Lord.  He brought in the priests and Levites, ordering them to consecrate themselves and then to consecrate the temple. It took 16 days to complete the work of cleaning out the unclean things that Ahaz had brought into the temple area... and then they began offering sacrifices.

Hezekiah led his people into worship.  What a day of rejoicing that was!  The next thing that he did was to invite all of Israel and Judah to come to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.  Many refused, but some came and God blessed mightily.  After the Passover celebration, Hezekiah continued to bring reforms in Judah, destroying every idol and commanding the people to start tithing as they should.
Again, God blessed them.  The priest and Levites had not been able to live off of the tithes as they were supposed to before this.  But, now they were able to serve full-time and have enough to feed their families too.

The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, decided to invade Judah.  But, Hezekiah was prepared.  When the Assyrians boasted that they had taken many nations and that the gods of those nations couldn't stop them, declaring that the Lord God of Hezekiah couldn't either, Hezekiah turned to prayer.  God heard his prayers and destroyed the army of Assyria.  But, when Hezekiah became sick, he wavered in his faith.  Yet, he humbled himself once again and the Lord helped him.

All in all, Hezekiah walked with the Lord until he died. How sad that his son Manasseh did not follow in his footsteps.

One man made a difference for the nation of Judah for 29 years.  From day 1 of his reign, Hezekiah chose to serve the Lord God of Israel.  It was in his heart to live for the Lord and he led his people by example.  He prayed for his people and exhorted them to return to the Lord. "For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him." (30:9) This statement summarizes his life:
31:20 " and thus Hezekiah did .... what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God." 

Hezekiah was not perfect. His life was not easy.  But, he was a man who honored the Lord as best as he could. God blessed him and blessed Judah because of him.

Father,  how we need men like Hezekiah to lead in our country now,  men who do what is good, right and true before You.  Men who will lead by example as well as by words.  Raise up men of God, men who will humble themselves; men who will pray; and men who will do what is right no matter what the culture demands. Father, hear our cries.  see our hearts, come to us once again and open the eyes of the people of our country we ask in the Name of Jesus our Lord and King. Amen.