SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 39
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my lifetime.” [Isaiah 39:8]
Hezekiah has become self-confident: God has promised him a safe life, and so he enjoys his health and wealth in style, showing off to the visiting Babylonians how rich and successful he is.
The worst line, to me, is when he accepts God’s warning as good because it means that he will live out his days in peace – who cares about his children or his people.
And yet do we do this in regards to the environment today – wasting and misusing God’s creation because we don’t feel the consequences?
And he told them this parable: The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”‘ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God. [Luke 12:16-21]
I’ve used this passage recently before, but I thought of it again when I read about Hezekiah thinking to himself, for himself… just like this rich guy.
He was so wrapped up in himself and his own wealth, he didn’t have any regard for others, or God.
And in both stories, God shows them the result of their selfishness.
In both situations, the rich, secure ones seem to be oblivious to God and others, they just think about themselves.
This is what selfishness is, seeing everything through the lens of “me”.
This doesn’t mean that selfish people don’t think of God or others at all, but only in terms of themselves.
What God can do for me, how my children make me feel, how God or my children disappoint me…
I know that there are times when I am so caught up with what is going on in my own life that I forget about God and others, or only think about them in regards to my situation or need.
I can see this selfish spirit in me, and the words ‘you fool’ run through my mind.
How many of us neglect our relationship with God or with those we love, taking them for granted, assuming that they will always be there for us when we need them (a selfish thought!).
How many of us come to the end of our lives and realize too late that we were not “rich” towards God or others?
We may boast about our nice homes, successful jobs, great reputations, remarkable acts of charity… but who will be there with us at the end to celebrate with us?
Rich in the eyes of the world, yet poor towards God and others?
‘You fool…’
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to look with new eyes at You and those that are in my life, to value You and them more than anything else. And help me to be rich towards You, and them.
Hezekiah has a new lease on life. Another 15 years. And when the envoys come, what does he tell them? God’s power or ‘see all what I have accomplished?’ Unfortunately the latter. He showed all his material gains to the envoys, and did not tell the story of God Who had given him all these things. Self sufficient. Self reliant. Boastful. Proud.
And then yet afterwards when the prophet comes to him and tells what is going to happen to the next generation, Heze is glad because it will not happen to him. He just needs to live out his life. Ouch!
All that I have I owe to the Lord. He makes me glad. And that gladness I must tell to the next generation. I need to tell about His faithfulness to my children and my children’s children. His Story must be told again and again. When I do this while I am living for Jesus, then I am truly rich and can say to the next generation and to all those who have ears to hear – see what the Lord my God has done for me!
All that I am I owe to Thee,
Thy wisdom, Lord, has fashioned me;
I give my Maker thankful praise,
Whose wondrous works my soul amaze.
Ere into being I was brought,
Thine eye did see, and in Thy thought
My life in all its perfect plan
Was ordered ere my days began.
Thy thoughts, O God, how manifold,
More precious unto me than gold!
I muse on their infinity,
Awaking I am still with Thee.
The wicked Thou shalt surely slay,
From me let sinners turn away;
They speak against the Name divine,
I count God’s enemies as mine.
Search me, O God, my heart discern,
Try me, my inmost thought to learn;
And lead me, if in sin I stray,
To choose the everlasting way.