Show the Nations You are Lord, You Alone !
King Hezekiah was in a desperate situation, because the messengers of the king of Assyria had sent him a letter ordering him to surrender Jerusalem to his army. Hezekiah took the letter and went to the house of the Lord, where he laid it out before the Lord. Then, He prayed a very unselfish prayer that holds a great lesson for us.(Isaiah 37:14,20) How should we pray?
God doesn't like selfish prayers. (James 4:3) He wants us to pray for His will to be done, not our own will. (Matthew 6:10) He hears our prayers, but He answers them according to His will, so He will receive the glory. That is why Hezekiah's prayer was remarkable. He not only asked for God to come to their rescue, so the Assyrians would know He was the Only Lord, but he prayed that "all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are Lord, You alone." Hezekiah's heart was for the whole earth to know what He knew about the One True God.
Do we have the same heart as King Hezekiah when we pray? Do we ask God to do things just for us, or do we want Him to answer our prayers so others can come to know Him, too? Do we pray for all the kingdoms of the earth to know He is Lord and Him alone? If we do not pray in this way, we should start, because God honors prayers like that as He honored Hezekiah's prayer.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 38-40.
God doesn't like selfish prayers. (James 4:3) He wants us to pray for His will to be done, not our own will. (Matthew 6:10) He hears our prayers, but He answers them according to His will, so He will receive the glory. That is why Hezekiah's prayer was remarkable. He not only asked for God to come to their rescue, so the Assyrians would know He was the Only Lord, but he prayed that "all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are Lord, You alone." Hezekiah's heart was for the whole earth to know what He knew about the One True God.
Do we have the same heart as King Hezekiah when we pray? Do we ask God to do things just for us, or do we want Him to answer our prayers so others can come to know Him, too? Do we pray for all the kingdoms of the earth to know He is Lord and Him alone? If we do not pray in this way, we should start, because God honors prayers like that as He honored Hezekiah's prayer.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 38-40.