自滿取代了禱告
以賽亞書卅九章1至8節
1那時，巴比倫王巴拉但的兒子米羅達巴拉但聽見希西家病而痊愈，就送書信和禮物給他。
2希西家喜歡見使者，就把自己寶庫的金子、銀子、香料、貴重的膏油和他武庫的一切軍器，並所有的財寶都給他們看。他家中和全國之內，希西家沒有一樣不給他們看的。
3於是先知以賽亞來見希西家王，問他說：“這些人說甚麼？他們從哪裡來見你？”希西家說：“他們從遠方的巴比倫來見我。”
4以賽亞說：“他們在你家裡看見了甚麼？”希西家說：“凡我家中所有的，他們都看見了；我財寶中沒有一樣不給他們看的。”
5以賽亞對希西家說：“你要聽萬軍之耶和華的話：
6日子必到，凡你家裡所有的，並你列祖積蓄到如今的，都要被擄到巴比倫去，不留下一樣。這是耶和華說的。
7並且從你本身所生的眾子，其中必有被擄去在巴比倫王宮裡當太監的。”
8希西家對以賽亞說：“你所說耶和華的話甚好！因為在我的年日中，必有太平和穩固的景況。”
信息分享
歷代志下三十二章25節告訴我們：「希西家卻沒有照他所蒙的恩報答耶和華，因他心裡驕傲」。第31節指出，神離開他，要試驗他，好知道他內心如何。
結果如何？他的第一次測試就不及格。巴比倫派遣探子，以「親善大使」的姿態前來窺探他的實力。希西家心驕氣傲，竟讓他們參觀他的皇宮和一切財寶。
對於比巴倫人的到訪，希西家並沒有尋求神的引領，虛榮心使他迷失正道。昔日，希西家接到褻瀆神的信，懂得跑到神面前禱告；但如今，他接到一封百般奉承的信，卻私下收起沒有帶到神的面前。究竟哪封信更危險呢？
我們每個人都有自信和自滿的一刻。撒但若不能正面攻擊我們，就會改用更巧妙的詭計。
昔日在伊甸園中，撒但就使用過這種方法；時至今天，這方法仍相當成功。亞當和夏娃在伊甸園，完全忘記了神在他們身上的作為，也忘了尋求神的引領。他們沒有聽從神的話，結果造成災難性的後果。
以賽亞再次來到王的面前，王唯有向他承認自己所做的事。希西家沒有從神救他脫離死亡一事學到功課。
我們豈不是一樣？我們都到過各各他——死亡之地，但神救贖了我們。我們是否忘記神為我們所做的一切？我們是否仍然偏行己路？
緊記：
自滿和禱告不能並肩而行；有自滿就不會有禱告，反之亦然。
PRIDE INSTEAD OF PRAYER
Isaiah 39:1-8
1 At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered.
2 And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.
3 Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?”
So Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far country, from Babylon.”
4 And he said, “What have they seen in your house?”
So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
6 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD.
7 ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”
8 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”
Message
We read in 2 Chronicles 32:25: “Hezekiah's heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him.” Verse 31 states that God left him, to test him, and to know what was in his heart.
What was the result? He flunked his first test. Spies coming under the disguise of friendship arrived from Babylon. Hezekiah felt very flattered. “They have come to see me. I will show them my palace and all my treasures.”
Instead of asking for God's guidance about their visit, pride led him astray. When a letter of blasphemy came, Hezekiah had taken it to the Lord. Now when a letter of flattery was received, Hezekiah took it to himself and not to the Lord. Which letter was more dangerous?
We all have moments of self-confidence and pride. If Satan can't defeat us by a frontal attack, he will do it in a more subtle way.
Satan used that method in the Garden of Eden and he is still using it with considerable success. In Eden, Adam and Eve forgot all God had done for them. They forgot to ask for His guidance. They disobeyed His Word. The results have been disastrous.
Isaiah appeared once again. The king had to admit what he had done. He had not learned very much from struggling in the place of death from which God had delivered him.
Does that apply to us too? We should have been to Calvary, the place of death but God has raised us up. Have we forgotten all that He has done for us? Are we going our own way still?
REMEMBER: Pride and prayer can't walk together. One will always cancel out the other.