Jesus, turn my eyes to You. My suffering overwhelms, loss and grief profound. My thoughts are only of my needs. They engulf me. You promise to “supply every need” I have, according to our Father’s “riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19 ESV). Today, I need to think of those riches in glory…You are my treasure, riches overflowing. I need to lift my mind’s eye to You and find rest today. I need to think about…You.
Jesus, the very thought of thee
with sweetness fills my breast;
but sweeter far thy face to see,
and in thy presence rest.
(“Jesus, the very Thought of Thee,” attr. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, trans. E. Caswall, 1849)
My needed thoughts of Jesus as Maker
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (Jn. 1:1-5 ESV).
O Hope of ev’ry contrite heart,
O Joy of all the meek,
to those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!
My needed thoughts of Jesus as Savior
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
nor can the memory find,
a sweeter sound than thy blest name,
O Savior of mankind.
Turn my thoughts to You as Lord and King
…far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come (Eph. 1:21 ESV).
They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful (Rev. 17:14 ESV).
Turn my thoughts to Your love and comfort
But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation (Ps. 13:5 ESV).
But what to those who find? Ah, this
nor tongue nor pen can show:
the love of Jesus, what it is
none but his loved ones know.
My needed thoughts of Your power
Jesus, our only joy be thou,
as thou our prize wilt be…
Turn my thoughts to my hope in You, Jesus
For I, along with all Your sheep, Your saints from all of time and place, those united with You, are:
waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13 ESV)…
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Eph. 1:18 ESV).
Jesus, be thou our glory now,
and through eternity.
In this suffering, turn me to these needed thoughts. Help me think on these things (Phil. 4:8)…so that this suffering time may be Your special time to…
A playlist to turn our thoughts from our need to our needed thoughts of Jesus, as we suffer
Usually, I pray-write from Bible study I’ve done, desperate in my own suffering. This time, I created a playlist to pray-sing to Jesus first, with thoughts of Him, my needed thoughts on a tough day of my needs in physical suffering. Then, I wrote this prayer as a result!
This week’s playlist gift is filled with a variety of older and newer songs, adoring and exalting our Lord Jesus Christ, turning our thoughts from our need to Him. Why? So we can both endure this suffering with hope in Him!
Sister in Christ, if this would bless you too, sign up here and I’ll send weekly playlist gifts to your email…glory alone to our Lord Jesus Christ!
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, or Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering. In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
For Scripture devotionals, calming hymns, and encouragement from Lauri, click here for YouTube channel
