King Hezekiah of Judah was warned that King Sennacherib of Assyria had been conquering many nations, including the northern kingdom of Israel. Immediately he went to the house of the Lord and prayed, telling the Lord of the destruction of those nations and their gods. Interestingly, it was Isaiah who heard from the Lord in response to Hezekiah's prayer. A remnant of the house of Judah would survive and take root again. The Lord would defend the city. In fact, when the city of Jerusalem was surrounded, the angel of the Lord killed all the Assyrian soldiers as they slept, and the king of Assyria went home without attacking Judah. It demonstrated the mighty power of God in protecting the people.

The reading from Matthew is from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus was giving instructions on the way to live. We are to take care of our spiritual treasures and be wise in the way that we share them. We are to treat others as we wish to be treated - this is the Golden Rule which is found in many traditions. Jesus' admonition about entering through the narrow gate is meant to encourage people to follow His teachings, which He admits, are not the easy way to live, but they are the best way to live. Do I follow these teaching words of the Lord and trust in His mighty power to protect me?