Why does God answer prayer?

Read 2 Kings 19.

Just because one lives a godly life does not give them a pass from evil, threats, hardships and losses.  Hezekiah's best attempt to appease the king of Assyria only proved to increase the pressure.  Hezekiah turned to the LORD in prayer and sent for counsel from the prophet Isaiah.

The message delivered to Isaiah included "distress", "rebuke", "disgrace", "no strength" and the Assyrians "mock the living God".  In short, Hezekiah and his leaders had reached the end of themselves; they could not go on.  They asked the prophet to pray for them.  Isaiah's first response was "Do not be afraid."  Then, the prophetic message came that God would cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor that will cause him to return home where he will die.

But more defiance came from the Assyrians and then the letter arrived.  Hezekiah went into "the house of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD."  Without God's intervention, "we are destroyed." (v.18)

Isaiah's prayer and prophecy took place just as predicted.  God protected Jerusalem and saved this godly king with his people.  Why?  Two reasons are given in verse 34:

1. "For my own sake".  First and foremost, God acts to protect the honor of His name and His plans.  Life is not about us, but about how we bring glory to Him.  When some finite human speaks against the living God, He sees, He hears, and He will act in His own time.

2. "For the sake of my servant David."  King David had been dead for a few hundred years but God made a covenant regarding the royal line of David and the people of Israel.  God does not renege on His commitments, nor does He change His mind.  He does, however, work to change the hearts and lives of people to draw them to Himself.