Concerning Your Request From God, BE CAREFUL!

Concerning Your Request From God, BE CAREFUL! 
24042019
© Israel Ayanwuyi 
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Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done.

You should know this, but it is wise for you to remember—allow me to remind you:
Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses.

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, King Sennacherib of Assyria came to attack the fortified towns of Judah and arrogantly taunted God of Judah, but the LORD single-handedly fought for the people of Judah.

About a time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave God's message: “This is what the Lord says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.”

When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly.

Then...? Enough of the story! "Hezekiah is a such a great man, " "a paragon of righteousness, " "Why should this happen to Hezekiah?" This and many likes questions might be flowing in your belly right now.

Regardless of our opinions, it is important to know God is not set to deprive Hezekiah long life. Should we say the Lord isn't aware of how faithfully and righteously Hezekiah had served Him? No! He does.

Hezekiah used his influence, closeness and service to God as a challenge, so that the LORD would do what he wanted and allow him to live longer. And soon after He challenged God and got fifteen more years to live, Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah his best wishes and a gift, for he heard about Hezekiah's condition.

Hezekiah received 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.

Hezekiah fell out of God's directives and sold coming generations into slavery. Isaiah asked as sent from the Lord, “What did they see in your palace?” “They saw everything,” Hezekiah replied. “I showed them everything I own—all my royal treasuries.”

The Lord replied through Isaiah, "The time is coming when everything in your palace—all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left. Some of your very own sons will be taken away into exile. They will become eunuchs who will serve in the palace of Babylon’s king."

Yes, we know God. We know Him by name and we fellowship closely with Him. In all of this, we know His established plans and ambitions for our lives but we suppress His will with our own will, leading to our downfall sooner or later. We request things from Him in the name of one or other sacrifice we've made to Him or His kingdom.

I am not saying it is wrong to provoke a dimension of God over your life by sacrifices you've made to Him, but it is much more necessary for you to request anything from Him according to His will. He sees farther and best! 

Jesus taught us the same lesson we derived from the story of Hezekiah when he went to pray in a garden on Mt. Olives called Gethsemane. Jesus was deeply crushed with grief to the point of death and he bowed himself to the ground in prayer, requesting that the cup of suffering might be taken away from him. Yet he coveted the will of God to be done. [Matthew 26:36-42]. 

1 Peter 4:19 says, "So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." 

Stop digging your fall. Be careful concerning your request from God. Let His will overshadow your own will. Surrender completely to His message and plans for your life. He is God. Be careful about your request.

Scriptures excerpt from 2 Kings 18, 19, 20 and 21.