Take it to the Lord in prayer
It has been quite a week where I have had to choose to use the obstacles placed in my way as stepping stones. So thankful that I am learning to step on those obstacles and keep on moving. The Holy Spirit spoke to me in the night one day this week with an old hymn that rose up in my spirit. What a friend we have in Jesus. Let these words get down on the inside of you.
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he’ll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.
I was helping my mother in law at the hospital post surgery this week. She was to be discharged but had to void first. She tried so hard. I would help get her out of bed and to the potty. I turned the water on wide open and paced the floor while she tried and was undeniably getting frustrated. I began to think I could down a 20-ounce Aqua Fina and take care of this myself. The nurse would never know whose 200 cc’s of urine it was. After multiple trips and much pacing and Margaret getting discouraged, I heard that still small voice inside me ask, “have you prayed about it?” Well, no, I had not. I thought it rather trivial to ask God to help someone pee. After all he was busy with big things and why should I bother Him with something that seemed so small. I was reminded that He cares about every detail of our lives and that it is His pleasure for us to ask Him and His pleasure to bless us. I said a quick prayer. Shortly after Margaret was able to produce the required amount for discharge. I could feel God smiling on us. The next night I lay in bed remembering folks that had asked for prayer on Facebook. I had commented on those posts with the usual response that I would pray. I said a little bless their heart kind of prayer and felt bad that they were going through hard times. I drifted off to sleep. I awoke in the middle of the night with the song, “What a friend we have in Jesus” resonating in my spirit. Actually it was just the title of this blog post, “take it to the Lord in prayer” that kept rolling over and over. I got up and googled the lyrics. What a message.
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
I have been one that thought I should just handle the small stuff and save the big things for prayer. It didnt seem right in my mind to bother the King of Kings with my trivial issues. But the truth is, oh what needless pain we bear, oh what peace we often forfeit. We have the privilege to carry EVERYTHING to God in prayer. He cares about every small detail of our life. It is His pleasure that we bring these things to Him.
