Monday, January 10, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Putting it out there.......
"Putting it out there" is a common phrase used in today's society. It essentially means telling it all, not holding back, not being reserved. I couldn't help but think of this phrase as I read the story of king Hezekiah in 2 Kings chapter 19.
Hezekiah receives word that the Assyrian armies are coming to attack and capture the children of Israel. And the message specifically says v10 "Don't let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria." Wow...Hezekiah's first thought may have been..."Oh no you just didn't say that about my God!"...ok, so maybe those weren't his exact words but we can have a little spiritual imagination can't we?...lol I do know for a fact it bothered him because we read the account of what his actions were and what he said.
v14-19 "After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord's temple and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord. "O Lord, 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 the 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.""
I love the fact that he physically took the letter and "spread it out" before the Lord! Even though he obviously realized God is omnipotent and omnipresent...he was saying "Here it is!...Look at this!"
I also love the motive for his prayer. Not because he was afraid of captivity. Not because he feared death. Not for his people..after all he was the king of Israel. No, the main motive was that they had said his God wasn't god enough to keep them safe. Wow! Hezekiah wanted EVERYONE to know that God was more powerful than anything. He wanted them to see He was the one true God of Israel!!
Here are some things I noticed...
1. Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord to pray. Do you have a special place of prayer where just you and the Lord fellowship?
2. He took the offending letter from the Assyrians and "spread it out". What do you need to spread out in front of the Lord? Medical bills that seem daunting?...A letter from an estranged loved one?....A picture of someone you are praying for? Whatever it is...put it out there...let God examine it and examine your heart..your motives for wanting Him to change the situation. Is it to bring Him glory...to prove that HE IS GOD?
3. Hezekiah was very specific in his request. Be specific in what you pray for.
I want my prayer life to be better, stronger, more real this year. I'm going to start by following Hezekiah's example. It's time to PUT IT ALL OUT THERE! :)
Hezekiah receives word that the Assyrian armies are coming to attack and capture the children of Israel. And the message specifically says v10 "Don't let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria." Wow...Hezekiah's first thought may have been..."Oh no you just didn't say that about my God!"...ok, so maybe those weren't his exact words but we can have a little spiritual imagination can't we?...lol I do know for a fact it bothered him because we read the account of what his actions were and what he said.
v14-19 "After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord's temple and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord. "O Lord, 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 the 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.""
I love the fact that he physically took the letter and "spread it out" before the Lord! Even though he obviously realized God is omnipotent and omnipresent...he was saying "Here it is!...Look at this!"
I also love the motive for his prayer. Not because he was afraid of captivity. Not because he feared death. Not for his people..after all he was the king of Israel. No, the main motive was that they had said his God wasn't god enough to keep them safe. Wow! Hezekiah wanted EVERYONE to know that God was more powerful than anything. He wanted them to see He was the one true God of Israel!!
Here are some things I noticed...
1. Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord to pray. Do you have a special place of prayer where just you and the Lord fellowship?
2. He took the offending letter from the Assyrians and "spread it out". What do you need to spread out in front of the Lord? Medical bills that seem daunting?...A letter from an estranged loved one?....A picture of someone you are praying for? Whatever it is...put it out there...let God examine it and examine your heart..your motives for wanting Him to change the situation. Is it to bring Him glory...to prove that HE IS GOD?
3. Hezekiah was very specific in his request. Be specific in what you pray for.
I want my prayer life to be better, stronger, more real this year. I'm going to start by following Hezekiah's example. It's time to PUT IT ALL OUT THERE! :)
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