JUST ASK!!!!!!!!!

 

The continuing saga of King Hezekiah reminds me so much of myself. This guy's faith in God is so inconsistent. One moment he is pouring his life out to God pleading for protection. The next moment he has totally forgotten about God and acts like the Creator of the world does not exist. 

After his envoys return with the message from Assyria, Hezekiah has given up all hope. He says his life is like a mother who is delivering a baby with no strength for the difficult labor ahead. (Isa 37:3) He continues: "But perhaps the Lord your God has heard the Assyrian Chief of Staff, sent by the king to defy the living God, and will punish him for his words. Oh, pray for those of us who are left."(Isa 37:4) 

PERHAPS? What weak faith..... am I any different? How many times have I given up hope and then, as a last resort, hope that God will do something. Even though I might not say these words, my actions say, "Oh well, I might as well turn to God, it couldn't hurt."

Then King Hezekiah gets another debilitating message from King Sennacherib. It is at this point that FINALLY, King Hezekiah opens up to the Lord and prays a powerful prayer to God. 

"O Lord of Heavens Armies, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and earth. Bend down, O Lord, and listen! Open your eyes, O Lord, and see! Listen to Sennacherib's words of defiance against the living God. It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all these nations. And they have thrown the gods of these nations into the fire and burned them. But of course, the Assyrians could destroy them! They were not gods at all -- only idols of wood and stone shaped by human hands. Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O Lord, are God!" (Isa. 37:16-20)

Appealing to God is always the way to go..... BUT, God is not a God of last resort! He is not just a God of crisis. He is a God for every moment of every day of our lives. There is nothing that we cannot take directly to him. Asking for advice, and praying for guidance, protection, grace, mercy, and love should happen every moment of our day. 

Soon after this powerful prayer from the King, the Assyrians are sent packing. Jerusalem is saved! And after another powerful moment of prayer, Hezekiah's life is also spared. God seals his promise with a miracle of stellar proportion. The sun is moved ten steps backward in the sky. HOW AMAZING IS OUR GOD! (Isa. 38:1-8)

Then Hezekiah, acting like me, once again forgets God. He invites the Babylonians to see his Kingdom. (Isa 39:1-8)  He never consults God and disaster lurks around the corner! To make matters worse, even when Isaiah points out his error, Hezekiah doesn't grasp what he has done. 

Why do we always do that?

We need to take EVERYTHING TO THE LORD IN PRAYER. We need to slow our fast-paced life enough to ask and listen to the Lord. We just have to ask and he will respond. I cannot think of the number of times I neglected to consult the Lord and disaster was the result. 

You think I would learn. 

Lord forgive me! I know all I need to do is ASK! I am so thankful for a God who still loves and protects me even when I am weak and lack faith. Lord, help my faith to grow and speak to you every moment of every day! Amen!