This was a very unusual place to be taken on a sunny Thanksgiving morning. I jumped into Numbers because it's one of the less-visited places in my Bible, but I sure couldn't see right away what I was doing there. I knew there must be some message, because the Lord had asked me to set aside part of my prayer time to laying some specific burdens before Him, and Numbers 3 is where He led me first. Initially I wondered if there was something for me to see concerning the Levites, or the firstborn. Attention span waning a bit (sunny holiday morning), I followed a cross-reference to another part of my Bible and hung out there for a while.
But the phrase "I am the Lord" kept coming back to me. It's repeated over and over in Numbers 3, as it often is in Leviticus and in other Old Testament places where God sets out how things are to be done. In some of these statements, "I am the Lord" seems stuck in almost randomly (Numbers 3:41a: You shall take the Levites for Me, I am the Lord, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel...). What does this mean? What was I doing here?
Suddenly the answer began to dawn on me. The fact that He is the Lord is key to everything. Everything. "I am the Lord" interlaces so many of His commands because everything He does or commands is designed to bring glory to Himself. He is the center of everything.
...And therefore (practical application)...
I am not to be the focus of the prayers He calls me to pray concerning my needs. The people I pray for (though I love them) are not to be the focus of the prayers He calls me to pray concerning their needs. God is the focus of all that we are called to pray and do. He is the Lord. This is at the core of everything. This is a game-changer.
Try this. Start with a very good, normal prayer:
Father, my friend Margaret needs Your help with her situation. Thank You that You have promised to act mightily on behalf of those who love and revere You. I ask that You answer Margaret in Your perfect timing and according to Your perfect will. Thank You so much! In Jesus' precious Name, Amen.
Prayer remix (as Louie Giglio says :) ):
Father, my friend Margaret needs Your help with her situation. I ask that through Your answer -- whatever You choose to do -- You will be greatly glorified. Thank You that have promised to act mightily on behalf of those who love and revere You. I can't wait to see what You do to bring glory to Yourself in this situation. We await Your perfect timing, according to Your perfect will. Thank You so much! In Jesus' precious Name, Amen.
The prayer remix is subtle, but the focus shifts from Margaret's needs (meet them -- thank You) to God's glory (bring glory to Yourself in whatever way You choose to meet these needs -- thank You).
For me, this adds great excitement to the prayer. I not only can't wait to see how God will answer, I can't wait to see the powerful way in which His answer will bring glory to Him.