What would you do if God told you that you were going to die, and then, just as suddenly, told you that you would live fifteen more years?

That was the reality for King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20. At the height of his illness, God sent the prophet Isaiah to deliver a sobering message: “Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept bitterly, praying with passion and reminding God of his faithful walk. In His mercy, God gave him an astonishing gift: fifteen more years of life.

It’s a powerful story. But it raises a question worth asking: What if you had fifteen more years? How would that knowledge shape your priorities? What would change in your attitude, your relationships, your faith? Too often we live like time is unlimited. We put off repentance. We delay hard conversations. We postpone obedience. But a moment like Hezekiah’s snaps things into focus. It reminds us that life is fragile, and time is precious.

If you had fifteen more years, would you pray more? Would you be more patient with your spouse, your children, your church? Would you finally let go of bitterness? Would you forgive that person you’ve carried a grudge against for years? Would you speak about Jesus more boldly?

The truth is none of us knows how much time we have left. Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” That doesn’t mean we live in fear, it means we live on purpose.

Hezekiah’s added years were not without mistakes. In fact, in pride, he made choices that would bring trouble later. His story reminds us that even time extended can be wasted if the heart is not humbled. The point isn’t just having more years, it’s doing more with the years we have. What if, instead of waiting for a crisis, we lived now like time is short? What if we set our house in order today? What if we walked closer with God, loved deeper, forgave quicker, and served more faithfully?

You don’t need a terminal diagnosis to live with urgency. You just need to remember that each day is a gift. Whether you have fifteen years or fifteen minutes, make them count.

By: Justin Odom