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HML 101 - Healing Encounter 1 - Put it on the Altar

© George Hartwell M.Sc., 2006, All rights reserved

Put it on the Altar - A powerful way of finding peace by letting go and giving it over to God

Allows the offering of something to God, putting our burdens in His care and letting go of control of the outcome. It is a Biblical picture of dedicating something to God.  Psychologically it allows us to experience "Let go and Let God." This is a good first step toward letting God be part of one's marriage, relationships, family, community rather than working it all out oneself. You thus give God the right to move, to heal, to save, to deliver, to counsel, to comfort and to enhance communication.  It is a form of worship, of trusting God, of effective prayer - because it does allow God to move.

Put it on the Altar - A prayer that reduces Anxiety and Stress

We make ourselves anxious and create unnecessary stress for ourselves when we try to control things we cannot control.  There all kinds of things we would like to change in our immediate situation, in our loved ones, in our own limitations, in our health in other's lives - all kinds of things we would like to change and cannot.  Trying to change what we cannot change creates tension.  Each step in letting go of any issue that is a source of worry or stress brings relief from tension, anxiety and the resulting dis-ease.  Putting it on the altar allows us to relax.

Put it on the Altar - A prayer in which we let go of Outcome

One thing we cannot control in spite of our best efforts is the outcome from our input.  We invest our love in a relationship but cannot guarantee that it will be received - or reciprocated.  We can invest all our skill in a particular job or project but do not know if it will be appreciated.  We can invest our finances is a charity but cannot control how well it is spent.  We can invest out time in a course of study but cannot control our mark.  We can do our best at an interview but that doesn't guarantee us the job.  We can put out our top effort as a team and still not control the score.  Life is full of instances where we cannot control the outcome.  We might as well put it in God's hands.

Put it on the Altar - used for letting go of Children and loved ones

Our children are not our own they are a gift of God, a trust from heaven, an arrow to launch into the future.  If we tie a string to the arrow it cannot fly straight.  If we do not loose the heart strings to our children our hearts will get broken.  We need to hold such trusts carefully but not tightly.  We must not try to God's part.  Jesus is their Saviour and we are not.  Doing the Put it on the Altar healing Encounter and allowing oneself to picture and experience it is one way to keep our children and loved ones in proper balance.  Done from the heart one will experience grief and that is okay. 

Putting it on the Altar in a Prayer Counselling Session

People come to counselling carrying many burdens: addictions, habits, personality patterns about themselves they cannot change; distressing situations involving griefs, concerns and frustration with others and life.  The full story can take up more than an hour just to unload the short version.  There may not be time in one session to pray effectively and specifically for root causes of issues.  However, one can lead a client to take all that was shared from their heart and to put it on the altar, picture and experience giving it to God.  In that one prayer I have had clients report remarkable peace in their life between appointments.

Put it on the Altar - How to Put it on the Altar

Several things are required to undertake this healing encounter.  Decide what one wants and needs to put on the altar. Develop a picture to represent what you are putting on the altar.  With eyes close and in a prayerful attitude, picture yourself putting it on the altar.

Follow up to Put it on the Altar

Get a report of what happened.  Find out if they put it on the altar.  Ask them what happened to it.  Ask then how it felt.  

Put on the Altar and community

According to Jesus, Kingdom of God community is associated with attitudes of humility (Blessed are the poor in spirit - who admit to their our own poverty.), open, honest expression of our heart (Blessed are they that mourn.) and those who give up power and control (Blessed are the meek.)  Giving up control of others and things is an prayerful expression of these attitudes and, therefore, a door into kingdom community.  (Note: Replace community with 'intimacy in close relationships' and the above is still true.)