Proper Focus

This past week at Bible study, our teaching leader taught on prayer, after studying King Hezekiah's prayer in Isaiah.  What grabbed my attention from the lecture was, often times when we (I) are in prayer we (I) tend to focus on the problem(s) that we (I) are facing instead of who we are praying to.  Yes, Hezekiah acknowledged the problems he was fighting, and laid them out before God, but He doesn't stay there.  He instead acknowledges who God is and what He is capable of.

Our teaching leader said it's like when we sit in prayer before God and continually hash out the problem(s) or the people in our lives that are causing problems.  God just gently grabs our little faces and turns them away from the issue(s) and says, "Look at me! Look at me.  I am bigger than all those things.  Remember who you are praying to?"

So last night, as I was praying through some tough times, I remembered this.  I confessed that I do forget who it is I am praying to because I am too wrapped up in myself.  I then asked the Lord to show me, remind me, who He is.

I thought for sure I would be searching through His Word for quite sometime, but I was up for the challenge.  I was surprised (pleasantly) that I didn't have to look very far.  Turns out, His Word is full of who He is (Duh).   After reading only six different chapters in Psalms and Isaiah, This is what He showed me:

He is:
The one who answers prayers, Ps 20:1
My protection, Ps 20:1
My Refuge and Strong tower, Ps 61:3
My Shelter, Ps 61:4
My rest, my salvation, Ps 62:1
My rock and fortress, Ps 62:2
My Hope, Ps 62:5
Strong and loving, Ps 62:12
My help,  63:7
The satisfaction of my soul, 63:5
Incomparable, Is 40:18
None is equal to, Is 40:25
The Everlasting God, creator,  Never tiring or weary, understands all things, Is 40:28
Strength and power, Is 40:29
The First and the Last,  Is 41:4
The One who has chosen me, Is 41:9
The One who takes hold of my right hand and says "do not fear", Is 41:13
Redeemer, Is 41:14

After sitting back and reviewing my list, I wept.

How could I possibly be scared, worried, or anxious.

It was one of the most precious times I have spent with the Lord.