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Scripture for the day: Isaiah 37:14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.
Thought for the day: Here's a tremendous story of the power of honest prayer.  Usually when we think of great prayers we think of Moses, Elijah and Jesus.  For Moses the people of Israel were spared and brought through the wilderness to the Promised Land.  For Elijah the rain stopped for 3 1/2 years and didn't start again until he prayed a second time.  For Jesus, Lazarus was raised from the dead, among many other things.  But here is the king of Israel, in perhaps the worst situation of his life, going to the Lord with the situation.  And there are some very good lessons here for us in the circumstances we face as well.
        First, notice how quickly Hezekiah went before the Lord with his dilemma.  He heard the announcement of Sennacherib's intention to destroy Jerusalem and the Bible says "he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord." (v.1).  There was no hesitation with him; he knew exactly where to go and what to do when calamity struck.  Too often I think we tend to go there as a last resort rather than a first choice.
        Second, he realized how helpless he was to change things on his own.  Hezekiah knew of the reputation of the army of Assyria.  He'd no doubt been given reports of what they'd done in other countries and the brutality with which they had treated their defeated enemies.  And here were the people of Jerusalem, looking to him for leadership and protection.  Where could he go except to the Lord?  There was no one on earth who could help him in his time of trouble.  Oh, there were people around him who would fight for him and try their best to support him but even they knew full well the eventual outcome.  Ever been there?  Who among us hasn't?  Perhaps we should take a lesson from Hezekiah and go to the Lord first of all.
        And finally, look at the content of his prayers before the Lord.  He acknowledges God as the sovereign of the universe, the only powerful God (a good place to start, don't you think?).  Then he simply lays out the situation before Him, almost as a means of reinforcing the fact that He can do nothing about it all.  Then he asks in simple faith that this same all-powerful God save him and his people, not for their sakes, but for His own name's sake; "that all the kingdoms of the world will know that You are the Lord, You alone." (v.20).
        Could this be what Paul had in mind when he said, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, with prayer and thanksgiving, make your petitions (appeals to an authority higher than yourself, one with the power to accomplish what you cannot) known to God" (Philippians 4:6). I think so, and I have to believe that when Hezekiah left the house of the Lord on that fateful morning, he experienced the peace of God giving him courage and assurance, just as He'd promised.
        Do you have something today that threatens to defeat you?  Why not try Hezekiah's formula for peace?  Give it to God, acknowledge His ability and let Him work it out - to His glory.
Now go take on your world.  -  Bill