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Wednesday... We can see only from our perspective.


Isaiah 38:8b (NLT), "For the king was thinking, 'At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime'"

Wednesday... We can see only from our perspective.

What we see, what we focus on can make such a difference in our lives, in our family, in those around us and King Hekiziah is such an example of this. We want to take credit. Look at what I have done. But when in trouble, we go to God but still take credit.

Back in chapter 36, King Hezekiah of Judah had a problem. The King of Assyria was out to destroy Judah and it looked like it was going to happen so King Hezekiah prayed and God saved Judah and he also gave the King, 15 more years of life. So many times in our successes we take them all personal and for granite. We take on ourselves a feeling that we can do no wrong. Look what I did. We want to look good. But that can be a trap.


Now in chapter 39, King Hezekiah got all messed up. Another King sent an envoy to see him. Verse 2 says, "Hezekiah was delighted with the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure-houses - the silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic oils. He also took them to see his armory and showed them everything in his royal treasuries. There was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them." His ego did not see that it was a trap.

We think that all we have is because of us and we want to show it off and take credit. But there is real danger in that.

Verse 3 says, "Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, 'What did these men want? Where did they come from?'" Verse 4, "What did they see in your Palace?" And the answer was, "They say everything."

But he wanted to show off. To show how successful he was. That was all that mattered to him. He saw only from his perspective. And we can too!

We need God in our troubles but we also need in our successes to give him the credit and to see what we have done and what we have from God's perspective not just our's.

Verses 5-6 says, "Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, 'Listen to the message from the Lord of Heaven's Armies: '"The time is coming when everything in your palace - all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now - will be carried off the Babylon. Nothing will be left, "' says the Lord." And verse 7, "Some of your very own sons will be taken away into exile. They will become eunechs who will serve in the palace of Babylon's king."

And verse 8 tells us what kind of King he was, "Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, 'This message you have given me from the Lord is good.' For the king was thinking, 'At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime." It was all about him. And that is a trap. And too many of us fall into that trap too.

It is not just all about us. It is also about God and others. That's what real love is all about. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning


 

 

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