Prayer (12-17-11)

Isaiah 37:14 - "Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord."

In Isaiah chapters 36 and 37 and also in 2 Kings chapters 18 and 19 we're given a historical account in the life of Hezekiah king of Judah. At this point in time Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against Judah and Jerusalem in order to seize it. You'll remember that Assyria was a very powerful and cruel empire. The king of Assyria sent a man by the name of Rabshakeh up to the city of Jerusalem in order to discourage and deceive the people of Judah. Rabshakeh stood by the wall of the city and cried out with a loud voice in Judean. He wanted to discourage as many of the soldiers as possible, and the words that he cried out were words of blasphemy against God. This is what he said in Isaiah 36:14-20 - "Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us, this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” Do not listen to Hezekiah,’ for thus says the king of Assyria, ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards. Beware that Hezekiah does not mislead you, saying, “The Lord will deliver us.” Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And when have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of these lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the Lord would deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’"
Rabshakeh did three things. First he tried to make the people doubt God by attacking the faith of the king. Second he told them that they would be better off if they surrendered to him, by promising them wealth and possession. And third he compared The one true God to the gods of all the nations. Rabshakeh also wrote the words of the king of Assyria in a letter and gave it to the people to give to Hezekiah. And we're given this remarkable verse in Isaiah 37:14 - "Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord." I'm sure that after Hezekiah read this message he was discouraged and possibly afraid, but his response is one that we would to well to follow. As soon as he received this discouraging, frightening news "he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord." This needs to be our response. Whenever disheartening, discouraging, frightening, tough circumstances come into our lives we need to spread it out before the Lord. God already knows everything that we're facing, but He desires for us to pour out our hearts before Him. And the outcome of our circumstances is determined, at least somewhat, by our prayers. In the case of Hezekiah we're told this later on in Isaiah 37 - "Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent word to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, this is the word that the Lord has spoken against him..." And he goes on to pronounce judgment on the king of Assyria. But according to this verse, the reason that God pronounces this judgment is because Hezekiah prayed. If Hezekiah hadn't prayed about this would the outcome have been different? We can only speculate about such things. But the Bible is very clear on the fact that prayer changes things. In James chapter 4 James is talking about prayer and he makes this statement - "You do not have because you do not ask." The idea being communicated, of course, is that if they had asked they would have received, but because they did not ask they did not receive. How many situations in our lives could have turned out differently if only we had prayed about them? Philippians 4:6-7 - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.