Hezekiah received the letter

from the hand of the messengers

and read it;

and Hezekiah went up

           to the house of the LORD

and spread it before the LORD.

And Hezekiah prayed

             before the LORD...

            2 Kings 19. 14-15

(Not taking things into our hands

        but placing them into His.

Spreading out our every fear

and concern

and need before the LORD

--that which is overwhelming

     and what only appears small,

that which is on my plate

         and what is on my heart.

Praying to the LORD

should be our first response

           not last resort.

Not telling God what to do

and how to solve it,

but opening our hearts

              to His way

and trusting Him into it.)

O LORD,

We don't know what to do,

   but our eyes are on You.

We lay out these things

           before You.

Help us to translate our worries

and fears

     into prayers before You.

Deepen our walk with You

         on this path before us

to take root downward

     and bear fruit upward,

not for a particular answer

or singular outcome,

  but Your glory all the way through.

Surprise us, O LORD,

with what You do with it,

  even in what we may

          never see until the other side.