As we begin 2024, it’s a good time to take stock of our attitudes toward God and whether we are giving Him the honor and glory He deserves. This fifth and last devotion in this series helps us evaluate the focus of our prayers:

IN WORD “Glorify Your name.” That was essentially the prayer of Moses when God offered to destroy the idolatrous Israelites and bless Moses’ descendants (Exodus 32:9-14). That was the prayer of Ezra when asking the king for protection would have contradicted Ezra’s claims that God was Israel’s security (Ezra 8:21-23). That was the prayer of Jesus just days before the Crucifixion (John 12:28). That was the prayer of David in many of the psalms. And that was the prayer of Daniel as he confessed Israel’s sins and asked for the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy of deliverance.
In fact, that is essentially the prayer of everyone who prays with power: that God would glorify His name. It isn’t that asking God to meet our needs is wrong; there’s just a greater issue at stake. God’s reputation comes first. His renown should be a greater concern than our immediate needs. We should be entirely focused on what He is doing in this world and how our needy situation relates to it.
That doesn’t mean that we should never ask God to meet our needs—spiritual, physical, emotional, material, psychological, relational, or whatever else we truly need or even desire. It does mean, however, that even in our deepest crises, our prayers should be God-centered. There’s a huge difference between praying, “Lord, please give me what I need so I can be content and fulfilled,” and “Lord, please give me what I need so You can be honored as the Giver of all good things.” Both are okay; the latter is clearly more in line with a Christian’s worship.
IN DEED If your prayers are filled with your concerns and little else, try a different approach. Pray that God would glorify Himself by meeting your needs, delivering you, healing you, comforting you, or whatever you are asking for. That perspective keeps us from deifying ourselves and from becoming completely self-absorbed. And it turns our attention to the One who is worthy of it. Ask Him to glorify His name in you. “For every one look within, take ten looks at Christ.” – Robert Murray M’Cheyne (“Worship the King” by Chris Tiegreen)

A good example of how one glorifies God is the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah didn’t pray just for success in his endeavors, but more importantly, Nehemiah focused on God’s reputation and witness in the world. Take time this week to read his account, noticing Nehemiah’s goals and his conversations with God. Then ask the Holy Spirit to help you develop the same attitude in your life as we journey into 2024. Have a blessed week! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam