Spreading out my concerns before the King of Glory

I learned to pray this way from two stories in the Bible one in the Old Testament the other in the New Testament.

The Israelites had been captured and carried away to Assyria. Now Assyria turned his hungry eyes to neighboring Judah. Surly this would be an easy conquest, Judah was smaller than Israel. Assyria used the tactic that had worked so well in other countries, first came the terror and then the attack.

Hezekiah received a letter filled with threats. The letter listed all the nations that had been conquered. The letter listed the kings of those nation that fallen to Assyria. Hezekiah was well aware of the reality of the threat. However, his response to the threat has become one of my examples of prayer in the Old Testament.

Hezekiah received the terrifying letter and went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the God of Heaven. There have been things in my life that terrify me. When I become stunned by the events of life I simply go before the throne of God and spread out my concern before Him. What I learned from Hezekiah is that prayer is sometimes simply spreading out before the Lord the circumstances over which you have no control.

I saw this pattern for prayer repeated in the New Testament when Mary and Martha sent Jesus word that,"The one that you love is ill". No more needed to be said. They felt no need to instruct Jesus but instead simply bring their concern before him. However, I doubt they expected him to wait till their brother was dead to come. They probably thought Jesus would heal Lazarus not raise him from the dead!

In both these stories there were situations over which the people had no control. I have learned from both Hezekiah and Martha and Mary that there are times when my prayer is simply to bring before God the things of this life that overwhelm me. But I have learned something else as well. I have learned that sometimes God allows painful things in my life to grant me the honor of bringing Him glory.

Lord Jesus, today there are many things over which I have no control. Like Hezekiah I spread them out before you. Like Martha and Mary I wait expectantly for you to respond. I lift my eyes to you and ask that you would be gloried.