自满取代了祷告
以赛亚书卅九章1至8节
1那时，巴比伦王巴拉但的儿子米罗达巴拉但听见希西家病而痊愈，就送书信和礼物给他。
2希西家喜欢见使者，就把自己宝库的金子、银子、香料、贵重的膏油和他武库的一切军器，并所有的财宝都给他们看。他家中和全国之内，希西家没有一样不给他们看的。
3于是先知以赛亚来见希西家王，问他说：“这些人说甚么？他们从哪里来见你？”希西家说：“他们从远方的巴比伦来见我。”
4以赛亚说：“他们在你家里看见了甚么？”希西家说：“凡我家中所有的，他们都看见了；我财宝中没有一样不给他们看的。”
5以赛亚对希西家说：“你要听万军之耶和华的话：
6日子必到，凡你家里所有的，并你列祖积蓄到如今的，都要被掳到巴比伦去，不留下一样。这是耶和华说的。
7并且从你本身所生的众子，其中必有被掳去在巴比伦王宫里当太监的。”
8希西家对以赛亚说：“你所说耶和华的话甚好！因为在我的年日中，必有太平和稳固的景况。”
信息分享
历代志下三十二章25节告诉我们：「希西家却没有照他所蒙的恩报答耶和华，因他心里骄傲」。第31节指出，神离开他，要试验他，好知道他内心如何。
结果如何？他的第一次测试就不及格。巴比伦派遣探子，以「亲善大使」的姿态前来窥探他的实力。希西家心骄气傲，竟让他们参观他的皇宫和一切财宝。
对于比巴伦人的到访，希西家并没有寻求神的引领，虚荣心使他迷失正道。昔日，希西家接到亵渎神的信，懂得跑到神面前祷告；但如今，他接到一封百般奉承的信，却私下收起没有带到神的面前。究竟哪封信更危险呢？
我们每个人都有自信和自满的一刻。撒但若不能正面攻击我们，就会改用更巧妙的诡计。
昔日在伊甸园中，撒但就使用过这种方法；时至今天，这方法仍相当成功。亚当和夏娃在伊甸园，完全忘记了神在他们身上的作为，也忘了寻求神的引领。他们没有听从神的话，结果造成灾难性的后果。
以赛亚再次来到王的面前，王唯有向他承认自己所做的事。希西家没有从神救他脱离死亡一事学到功课。
我们岂不是一样？我们都到过各各他——死亡之地，但神救赎了我们。我们是否忘记神为我们所做的一切？我们是否仍然偏行己路？
紧记：
自满和祷告不能并肩而行；有自满就不会有祷告，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.