HEZEKIAH DEPLOYED THE POWER OF PRAYER IN WARFARE.
TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART.
"Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent envoys to Hezekiah
with this message:
“Thus shall you say to Hezekiah, king of Judah:
‘Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you
by saying that Jerusalem will not be handed over
to the king of Assyria.
You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done
to all other countries: they doomed them!
"Will you, then, be saved?"
"Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it;
then he went up to the temple of the LORD,
and spreading it out before him,
he prayed in the LORD’s presence:
“O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned upon the cherubim!
You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.
You have made the heavens and the earth.
Incline your ear, O LORD, and listen!
Open your eyes, O LORD, and see!
Hear the words of Sennacherib which he sent to taunt the living God.
Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations
and their lands, and cast their gods into the fire;
they destroyed them because they were not gods,
but the work of human hands, wood and stone.
"Therefore, O LORD, our God, save us from the power of this man,
that all the kingdoms of the earth may know
that you alone, O LORD, are God.”
"Then Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent this message to Hezekiah:
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
in answer to your prayer for help against Sennacherib, king of Assyria:
I have listened!
"This is the word the LORD has spoken concerning him:“‘She despises you, laughs you to scorn,
the virgin daughter Zion!
Behind you she wags her head,
daughter Jerusalem.“‘For out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant,
and from Mount Zion, survivors.
"The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.’“Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria:
‘He shall not reach this city, nor shoot an arrow at it,
nor come before it with a shield,
nor cast up siege-works against it.
"He shall return by the same way he came,
without entering the city, says the LORD.
I will shield and save this city for my own sake,
and for the sake of my servant David.’”
"That night the angel of the LORD went forth and struck down
one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.
"So Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, broke camp,
and went back home to Nineveh." (2 KGS 19:9B-11, 14-21, 31-35A, 36).
Tuesday June 25th in the 12th Week of Ordinary Time.
Years ago, I was inspired by this first Reading to act like King Hezekiah and spread a letter before the Lord from one of the big banks threatening to destroy my credit rating. I remember that I was so shaken by the threat to my security that I added this request to the Lord: "Lord please grant me a good night sleep. May I not wake up in the middle of the night to think about this letter."
I had that night one of the best night sleep I could remember. What did I learn from the experience?
1. Hezekiah discovered that God's grace is sufficient for any emergency if you trust the Lord.
2. Fear is useless. All you need is trust.
3. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding or experience. In everything you do, consult the Lord. He will direct your paths.
4. He who knows the power and faithfulness of his God, shall stand tall and be recognized.
The Holy Catholic Church honors the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus every June.
Read of the abundant promises made to people who honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus especially in June.
For Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below.
No comments:
Post a Comment
23-Psalm1to2