Praying With Awe

The Tanna D’Bei Eliyahu (Chapter 8) describes King Hezekiah as someone who would pray as if he was speaking to a friend. God sent Isaiah to remind the king that if someone has an audience with the king he speaks with fear and trepidation. How much more so should one approach speaking to God with the highest level of Awe? The Midrash continues to say that Hezekiah’s informal prayer caused his illness.