By Sara Hines Martin
"LORD, HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM..."
"LORD, I NEED MORE INCOME..."
"LORD, I NEED HELP WITH THIS FEAR..."
For most of the years of my Christian life, I prayed in that fashion. God's value to me lay in what He could do for me. I wanted God's gifts and help more than I wanted God Himself. In recent months (I wish I could say years), I've focused on wanting God Himself rather than His gifts, and on loving God for who He is, rather than what He does for me.
When I start my daily devotional time, I first play several hymns. Music takes me quickly into the presence of God. The music itself inspires and nourishes me, and I also feed on the words. God led me to two hymns that have blessed me greatly.
"Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting" based on Hebrews 4:9 (There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God) opens with these lines: "Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art; I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart."
That says it perfectly! It is God's heart in which I can find rest rather than whether or not a check comes in the mail. My income has been at a perilously low level, and I have felt many hours of anxiety about the situation. After playing this hymn frequently, God gave me this thought: "I can have peace in spite of my economic situation. My peace does not depend on external circumstances; my peace comes from God, and the more I focus on His loving heart, the less I will feel anxious about my circumstances."
And I remind myself that God is present with me now. For some reason, it's easy for me to picture God being present with Biblical characters trudging across the desert. But as I sit in my comfortable, air-conditioned home, it's hard for me to picture God as being present with me now. Then I remember that God created all our modern conveniences. None of it took Him by surprise. And I know that God can be and is present with me in this setting.
The other hymn that has meant so much to me reads: "Christ, we do all adore Thee, and we do praise Thee forever." I vary the hymns I play from day to day, but usually I conclude with "Christ We Do All Adore Thee." As I open my prayer time, I bid myself to be still (Ps. 46:10).
The first words of prayer I utter are a prayer of adoration. "Christ, I adore You. Christ, I worship You. Christ, I do praise You forever." I was never taught to pray this way. Even in church, I notice that many prayers rush into petition before expressing praise. Learning to pray this type of prayer has done more for my spiritual growth than anything. This way of praying gives me perspective. My problems, and the resulting stress, recede as I focus on Christ and His loving heart.
I remember a woman who was dying of cancer who said, "I've always been problem-centered; I know now I need to be God-centered." Starting my day by praying a prayer of adoration helps keep my mind God-focused, which means that problems and stress take a back seat.
It follows that my clear mind is better able to receive guidance from God about how to solve problems. Keeping focused on God also helps eliminate resentment. When we go through the day thinking of God's loving heart, we feel positive emotions rather than being overwhelmed by negative ones.
"LORD, help me to love You for Yourself alone. Help me to know that you are a good God even when circumstances in my life are not good. Help me to look beyond the stress of today to Your steadfast loving kindness. In Jesus' name, Amen."
