What I Need Is You

(When You Have Him, You Have Everything)

By Josephine Lim Weston

For the past few months we have been informed by my eldest son's nursery teacher that he hasn't been listening to teachers and has been disruptive in class. He found it hard to sit still and participate in group. We have been praying for him (Jean-Luc) everyday and other mothers have been telling me that it could be the teachers have been quite hard on him as he's only three years old. But to me, if other children can listen, sit down and participate in group so can he. We had been asked to meet with his deputy head teacher too to exchange ideas on how to manage my son's behaviour. At home, my husband and I apart from praying with him and for him and disciplining him, we have also declared and reminded him again and again that he's a clever boy, he has to listen to teachers and don't be disruptive in class and play nicely with other children. Having said all these, Jean-Luc is a smart boy, cheeky and has good people skills. Surprisingly, his classmates' parents like him as he always acknowledges them by waving and smiling at them as they in turn greet him good morning. He is observant, sharp and has good memory. I said to him if he only listens and obeys his teachers (including us), he would be perfect. 

So after months of up and down behaviour according to his teachers, some good days and some bad days, plenty of time out and "naughty corners", we decided to share with my parents and my brother's family and ask for advise, etc. All in all, they said they will uphold Jean-Luc in prayer. Of course, more people praying we see results (I'm glad to be blessed with prayer warriors in my family) but he still need to improve further based on his teacher's feedback. I had cut down his time spent on watching tv and youtube, encouraged him to play his toys instead and do colouring etc. He would sing more, hum and play musical instruments. I can see improvements in him but still he is like a rough diamond that needs further polishing. So even after applying all the methods I've researched by changing his diet and giving him omega 3 DHA EPA, still he's active and finds it hard to listen and obey us right away (only after much insistence), I gave up and surrendered Jean-Luc to the Lord. All that I've been hearing thus far from the Lord is "let go". I thought to myself I can't let go. If I let go he'll be even more undisciplined and unruly. Each time I came to the Lord in prayer, I would come to Him with the burden of Jean-Luc in my heart. I wanted God to transform him and wanted God to answer my prayer NOW. Until a week ago, I decided enough is enough. Something is wrong here, I needed (more) answer from God so I asked and said to Him, I'm willing to listen now, speak to me and tell me what I need to do. (God always answer if we only willing to pause and listen instead of being busy with life). He said worship me. Focus on just enjoying (fellowship with) me and leave your prayer requests and burdens behind. 

So I've done just that for the past week. Just worship, praising the Lord after I dropped Jean-Luc to nursery, while washing dishes and on my way to fetch him from nursery. And since the beginning of the week his teacher even gave him sticker again for being good listening and said he's better and I could see he's trying to listen and obey; and finally last Friday (before school breaks for one week holiday) his teacher said in front of his classmates and their parents, Jean-Luc has been a good boy, good listening and sitting. Praise the Lord! I know as a parent he still needs improvements but what a compliment. 

     

Proverb 8:34 & 35

Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favour from the Lord;

Proverb 8:12-18

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion.

13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength.

15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of [c]the earth.

17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me.

18 Riches and honour are with me, enduring riches and righteousness.

Revelations 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

So now, whenever I'm burdened with something and wanting God to answer my prayers, I know in my heart of hearts, he already knew before I pray (Matthew 6:8); so I approached Him straight with thanksgiving and worship in my heart just focussed on Him and see Him working His miracles as a result. I no longer placing my focus on my prayer requests but on Him and enjoy fellowship and praising Him again and again. 

Matthew 6:33

Seek First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

Seek First His Kingdom means acknowledging God's Lordship over our lives. He is our priority and the first thing we seek when we wake up or when we encounter any situation in life. He is above it all and powerful enough to deliver us in any situation. His righteousness meaning knowing and acknowledging that Christ has made us righteous through His death for us on the cross; cleansing us from all unrighteousness and making us co-heirs with Him, allowing us to come boldly into God's throne of grace. Knowing our identity gives us the confidence that our sonship in God's eyes is unchangeable and secure regardless of how imperfect we think we are. It's through Christ that we receive righteousness, not by our own works or merits so no man can boast, and by acknowledging that we receive power to be sons (and daughters) of God. 

When we have sought His presence, He is with us everywhere we go and we attract favour, protection, provision and much more as He guides us in the rhythm of His grace.

We have the tendency of putting forward our prayer requests first, desiring answers to our prayers more than desiring God. We want our answer as soon as possible. What we need to know is that God already knew what we're going to pray even before we pray so why aren't we seeing the answer yet because we put our prayer request as priority rather than God. If we just come to Him and seek Him with all our hearts declaring "All I Need Is You, Oh Lord", we'll see the fulfilment of Matthew 6:33.

God wants us to long and thirst for Him because when we have Him, He is our All sufficient One (2 Corinthians 12:9) and He shall surely supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). He is our source of every good thing. Our desires and prayer requests just fade away and no longer be a burden in our hearts.

Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you, so just worship Him and fellowship with Him when you come into His presence and surrender all your worries and cares to Him - just worship Him. 

Luke 11:9-13

9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for [e]bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Give Holy Spirit to those who ask Him: why Holy Spirit? Why not other things that we want and prayed for because when you have the Holy Spirit (of God), He is your everything. Much better than anything else in the world. In fact, he's all that we need. He is our Helper, He will teach us all things, and bring to our remembrance all things that God said to us. (John 14:26)

So when God is first and becomes what we desire the most then we'll see the fruition of Mark 11:24. This is what I believe when I was still single. I decided after years of praying for a life partner and still hadn't found the right one, in 2012 I finally said to God on my birthday holiday alone in Wales "with God" (just wanting to spend quiet time alone with God) that all I want is Him even if I remain single for the rest of my life, He is all I need and in that same year and just within weeks I met my now husband. 

When we longed for God's presence, we are not fearful neither afraid anymore. You are not worried anymore whether your prayers will be answered. You are not afraid of the future. You are not shaken by whatever that happens because you have confident expectation of good that God has our back and He is for us and not against us (Romans 8:31). Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). 

Let's seek the Blessor instead of blessings, let's seek the Healer instead of healing, let's seek our Protector instead of protection. Let's seek the Provider instead of provisions. Trust me - if we seek other things instead of God, it might take us longer to see our prayers answered. You can declare all you want and believe all you want but without Him being the central and priority of our lives, above all our prayer requests and circumstances, then even if He were to answer our prayers, we might still not see it or even be aware of it even though it's in front of our eyes. 

So let's cast all our cares upon Him and just worship Him especially when we're in desperate need of help. Let our prayer requests just "fade away" in His presence and praise Him (for He is faithful and good to see us through).