Breaking Dawn | Part 13 - Unexpected Things but Certainty of Choice | Dr. Stephen G. Tan

Jun 14, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Bears Steal Your Chips: Trusting God in Sudden Loss

Life’s surprises often leave us bewildered, like a bear snatching snacks meant for another. The shock of unexpected loss—whether trivial or profound—tests our ability to trust God’s sovereignty. Just as the family faced danger yet emerged unharmed, God’s protection often hides beneath life’s chaos. He invites us to release our grip on what we think we deserve and anchor our hearts in His faithfulness. Even when plans crumble, His purposes remain unshaken. [02:02]

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21, NKJV)

Reflection: What “chips” have you lost unexpectedly this week—plans, hopes, or comforts? How might God be inviting you to trust His care more deeply in that emptiness?

Day 2: Prayer in the Shadow of Death: Raw Honesty Before God

Hezekiah’s desperate prayer from his sickbed shows God welcomes our rawest emotions. Facing terminal illness, the king didn’t mask his grief but poured out his tears and questions. God didn’t rebuke his honesty—He answered with mercy. Our darkest moments become sacred ground when we bring our unfiltered pain to the One who holds life and death. Vulnerability before God isn’t weakness; it’s the doorway to His healing. [07:24]

“Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” (Isaiah 38:2-3, NKJV)

Reflection: When have you hesitated to tell God your true feelings about a loss? What would it look like to pray with Hezekiah’s bold vulnerability today?

Day 3: Ten Degrees Backward: God’s Power Over Time and Circumstance

The sundial’s shadow reversing ten degrees wasn’t just a miracle—it was a tangible reminder that God bends time and nature to fulfill His promises. When Hezekiah’s timeline seemed fixed, God rewrote it. Our impossible situations—terminal diagnoses, broken relationships, stalled dreams—are mere clay in the Potter’s hands. The same God who moved shadows still moves mountains for those who trust Him. [13:40]

“And this is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken: Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” (Isaiah 38:7-8, NKJV)

Reflection: What “impossible” situation in your life needs God’s shadow-moving intervention? How does this miracle challenge your view of His power?

Day 4: Ferraris Unfulfilled: Contentment in God’s Greater Story

A canceled Lamborghini drive reveals how easily we fixate on earthly desires. Yet unmet dreams often protect us from shallow pursuits. Like Paul learning contentment in prison, we’re called to value eternal impact over temporary thrills. Every disappointment becomes a crossroads: will we resent God’s “no” or embrace His better “yes”? True joy lies not in fulfilled wishes but in fulfilling His purpose. [30:51]

“Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” (James 4:14, NKJV)

Reflection: What unmet desire distracts you from eternal priorities? How might releasing it free you to invest in what truly lasts?

Day 5: Showing Off Treasures: When Pride Overrides Trust

Hezekiah’s choice to flaunt Judah’s wealth to Babylonian envoys exposed his misplaced trust in human alliances over divine provision. Our “treasures”—achievements, possessions, or reputation—often become crutches when we doubt God’s care. Every impulsive decision to impress others risks long-term consequences. True security comes not from displaying strength but relying on the One who holds our future. [36:10]

“However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.” (2 Chronicles 32:31, NKJV)

Reflection: What “treasures” do you instinctively showcase to feel secure? How might God be calling you to replace self-reliance with radical dependence on Him?

Sermon Summary

Isaiah 38 brings Hezekiah to the edge of death as the Lord sends Isaiah to say, set your house in order, for you shall die and not live. Hezekiah turns his face to the wall, prays through tears, and lays before God a life aimed at truth and a loyal heart. The Lord answers, I have heard your prayer… I will add to your days fifteen years, and ties that mercy to a wider promise, I will deliver this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. The sign seals it: the shadow on Ahaz’s sundial moves back ten degrees. The living God shows that life and death, time itself, and national security sit in his hands, and that righteous prayer matters. Not as a name-it-claim-it lever, but as the integrity that aligns petition with his favor.

Hezekiah’s own writing then opens his soul. The lament calls life cut off in the prime, chattering like a swallow and mourning like a dove, with bones broken like by a lion. God lets that rawness breathe. But the song turns: indeed, it was for my own peace that I had great bitterness… you have lovingly delivered my soul… you have cast all my sins behind your back. The turn teaches that the hard season can become school. Love and pardon reframe the pain, and the living, the living shall praise you becomes the new vow: to sing with strings in the house of the Lord and to tell the next generation. Life is received again as gift, and gift bends toward praise, not petty losses.

Isaiah 39 then tests the heart. The Babylonian envoys arrive with letters and a present. Instead of testifying to the wonder, Hezekiah throws open his vaults. The envoy sees silver, gold, ointments, armory, everything. Second Chronicles says God withdrew to test him, to reveal what sat in his heart. Isaiah’s word lands heavy: the days are coming when all will be carried to Babylon, and sons made eunuchs in a foreign palace. Hezekiah’s reply, at least there will be peace and truth in my days, exposes a small horizon. The text presses a last lesson: consequential choices are made in the moment. Pride, fear, and hurry will flash the heart on the screen. Faith must be trained to trust God in the unexpected, to default to testimony over display, to lean into self-control as fruit of the Spirit. The call is simple and strong: revere the One who holds the times, live the gift for his praise, and trust him when the moment tests the soul.

Key Takeaways

1. Life and death sit in God’s hands Righteous lament and honest petition meet a sovereign timeline only God commands. He extends years and he shortens them, and he can even bend a shadow to confirm his word. A life shaped by reverence and integrity does not coerce God, but it does align prayer with his revealed favor. Let the fear of the Lord make holiness the settled habit. [14:54]
2. Righteous lament can become wise peace Hezekiah’s bitterness is not silenced; it is shepherded into surrender. In the wrestling, love and pardon surface, and the soul learns to name mercy as the deeper story. The path from complaint to confidence often runs through reflection on forgiven sin. That insight calms the heart without denying the pain. [21:11]
3. Life is gift, live for praise When breath is recognized as given, praise becomes the only sane expenditure. Gratitude widens the horizon beyond petty disappointments and centers the day on God’s honor and the next generation’s good. The living do not waste life proving worth; they spend life declaring his. [25:23]
4. Prideful sight misses faithful testimony The open treasury tells on the heart more than it impresses guests. Moments that ask for witness can be lost to self-display, and alliances can replace reliance. Train the reflex to speak of God’s wonders before showing one’s wealth. That habit guards both future fruit and present fidelity. [34:13]
5. Consequential choices are made in moments What spills out under pressure reveals the core. Spirit-formed self-control is not restraint for restraint’s sake; it is trust in God’s character when the script changes fast. Let trust be the practiced reflex so that surprise does not steer the soul. [41:32]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:42] - The bear ate my chips
[02:17] - When life turns unexpected
[03:15] - Setting Isaiah 38–39 in place
[04:29] - Set your house in order
[07:24] - Hezekiah weeps and prays
[10:26] - Righteous prayer and effectiveness
[11:10] - Fifteen years and Assyrian promise
[13:06] - The sundial sign given
[14:54] - Choice 1 life and death in God
[17:45] - Hezekiah’s song from bitterness
[21:11] - Love, forgiveness, peace learned
[23:51] - Praise vowed for all days
[25:23] - Choice 2 life is gift
[32:04] - Babylon sends envoys
[33:57] - A test exposes the heart
[39:12] - Exile foretold to Babylon
[41:32] - Choice 3 trust God in moments
[44:49] - Jump on the heavenly train
[45:55] - Final recap of three choices

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Isaiah 38:1-5 (NKJV): “In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.”’ Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, ‘Go and tell Hezekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: ‘I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years.’”’”
- James 5:16 (NKJV): “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 (NKJV): “However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.”

Observation questions

What did Hezekiah do immediately after hearing Isaiah’s message about his impending death? (Isaiah 38:2-3)
What sign did God give Hezekiah to confirm His promise of healing, and what does this reveal about God’s authority? (Isaiah 38:7-8)
How did Hezekiah respond to the Babylonian envoys, and what did this action expose about his heart? (Isaiah 39:2, 2 Chronicles 32:31)
In the sermon illustration about the Lamborghini, what perspective shift helped avoid bitterness over unmet desires? [30:51]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think Hezekiah emphasized his “loyal heart” and righteous life in his prayer (Isaiah 38:3), and how does this connect to James 5:16’s teaching on effective prayer?
Hezekiah’s bitterness turned to peace when he reflected on God’s forgiveness (Isaiah 38:17). How might acknowledging God’s mercy in our own lives reframe our pain?
What does Hezekiah’s decision to show Babylon his treasures (Isaiah 39:2) reveal about the dangers of prioritizing human alliances over divine testimony?
The shadow moving backward was a sign of God’s control over time (Isaiah 38:8). How does this miracle challenge our understanding of God’s sovereignty in impossible situations?

Application questions

When facing unexpected hardship, how can you practice “righteous lament” (like Hezekiah) by honestly bringing your emotions to God while still trusting His sovereignty? [08:22]
Hezekiah’s story shows that life is a gift meant for praise (Isaiah 38:19-20). What daily habit could you cultivate to intentionally live with gratitude instead of focusing on unmet expectations?
The Babylonian envoys tested Hezekiah’s heart (2 Chronicles 32:31). In moments of pressure, what practical step can you take to default to “testimony over display” when sharing your life with others? [34:13]
How might you prepare your heart now so that consequential decisions in unexpected moments (like showing treasures to envoys) reflect trust in God rather than pride or fear? [41:32]
Hezekiah’s prayer was rooted in a life of integrity (Isaiah 38:3). Are there areas of your life where unrighteous habits might hinder your prayers? How can you address this?
The Lamborghini story highlighted valuing God’s mission over personal desires. What is one ambition or disappointment you need to surrender to live more fully for God’s purposes? [30:51]

Sermon Clips

63s

#TrustInTheMoment

“``Remember, consequential choices are made in the moment. Choose to always trust God. Remember, consequential choices are made in the moment. Choose to always trust God. When unexpected things happen, the choices we make may have long lasting consequences because they revealed the true nature of our hearts. So the wise admonition is to always trust God. Trust him to work out the issues. Trust him to always protect and provide. Trust him because of his character and promises. Trust him in his sovereign work. Trust him when the challenges of life come unexpectedly and before we make momentarily difficult and wrong decisions in the moment.”

42s

#LifeAndDeathWaitForNoOne

“I mentioned this because it shows that life and death waits for no person, no events, no circumstance. There is literally no good time for death to come. And yet it is now upon Hezekiah nearing the nation's greatest threat. The prophet Isaiah brings the message to king Hezekiah that as God has ordained it, his time on earth is to end. He would die from this illness. There would be no cure from the sickness, and he was to set his house in order in preparation for his death.”

49s

#ThankfulInUnexpected

“One day we are expecting to enjoy life. In my case, some delicious foreign potato chips. And in the next moment, out of nowhere, the most unexpected thing happens. A bear eats my snacks. You can't make this stuff up. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction. But in those times, how do we act and react? What decisions will you make? How will you live your life? I could have mourned the loss of the chips, which I did a little. But more importantly, I thank the Lord for the protection of our church family members while on vacation, especially with the bear so close to the children.”

42s

#WealthOverWitness

“Instead of telling the Babylonians, the pagan Babylonians about the powerful testimony of how the living God had healed him from his terminal illness and even confirmed the extension of his life with the miracle of the shadow going back 10 degrees. He didn't tell them about God, the one true God. He told them about his riches and showed them all the wealth that he had. Instead of trying to impress them with his spiritual trust in the living God. He impressed them with his power and wealth to get the Babylonians to try to side with them against the Assyrians.”

39s

#SovereignOverTime

“But an all powerful god can do just that. He can cause the sun to go back, to have the shadows go back 10 degrees, or he can cause just the shadow to move back, which for me is the most amazing thing that just the shadow on the sundial moves back and nothing else. But God said to Hezekiah, I want to show you that my words are true. Now putting all together, what we can see is that when it comes to matters of life and death, it's all in God's hands.”

45s

#FaithDoesntGuaranteeHealing

“Let me just note that this is a verse to express to those who believe that God always heals that that isn't always the case if God does not will. Because there are faith healers out there that say that if you have faith, will be healed. Only more faith. As long as you manifest it, as you long as long as you claim it in Jesus' name, it will happen. You will be healed. Yes. God can heal. He can do miraculous works. Hezekiah was a man who followed the ways of the lord, and yet god was not going to save him from this illness.”

48s

#LiveToGlorifyGod

“In these verses, we see that Hezekiah now praises God for delivering him from death. He will now praise God and share the stories of God's grace and mercy to the next generation. Hezekiah is making sure that if given the opportunity, he will praise God and let all those around him know of what God has done. We see this in verse 20. He says, I will do so all the days of my life to the glory of God. What Hezekiah was doing in his praise was to commit to living his life with the Lord in view of this new lease on his life.”

44s

#ChooseReflectionNotBitterness

“If you miss recognizing these lessons, there perhaps maybe you will naturally become bitter and angry towards God because you have no idea why these things are happening and why you have to undergo these trials. But if you are self reflective, if you take time to pause and prayerfully think and even ask God, God, what are the lessons you are teaching me? Because I want to learn them. I want to improve. I want to change. I want to be more like you. Then you may be able to see the spiritual silver lining of why you go through what you go through.”

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Breaking Dawn | Part 13 - Unexpected Things but Certainty of Choice | Dr. Stephen G. Tan

Devotional

Day 1: When Bears Steal Your Chips: Trusting God in Sudden Loss

Day 2: Prayer in the Shadow of Death: Raw Honesty Before God

Day 3: Ten Degrees Backward: God’s Power Over Time and Circumstance

Day 4: Ferraris Unfulfilled: Contentment in God’s Greater Story

Day 5: Showing Off Treasures: When Pride Overrides Trust

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Breaking Dawn | Part 13 - Unexpected Things but Certainty of Choice | Dr. Stephen G. Tan

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