Intimate Friend
O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8
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This verse is an open invitation to be honest and deeply real with the Lord. It calls us to take our masks off and pour out our true thoughts and feelings to God, to be there before him telling it like it is, not how we think things should be. How freeing it is to realize that we can be totally honest with God and express our sadness or joy, our fears, our faults and weaknesses, our pain, desires and dreams, and to know that the contents of our hearts are really safe with God, our refuge. This verse also reminds us that although the specific patterns or formats for prayer are excellent principles for individual or corporate prayer times, we don’t have to follow them in order for God to hear us, nor do we have to hide our negative emotions and attitudes just so we’ll look good. God already knows all that we are feeling and struggling with, so we can come to him just as we are and pour out our hearts “at all times.” He invites us in the midst of conflicts, stresses, responsibilities, and frustration to seek him as our closest confidante, our intimate friend.
Prayers:
How thankful I am for the confidence and security that you long to hear from me and to comfort me. You know and understand all the thoughts of my heart better than I do myself, and you invite me to pour out my heart to you now. And so I will. . . .
Quotes:
THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER MAKES US SO INTIMATE WITH GOD THAT WE SCARCELY PASS THROUGH AN EXPERIENCE BEFORE WE SPEAK TO HIM ABOUT IT, EITHER IN SUPPLICATION, IN SIGHING, IN POURING OUT OUR WOES BEFORE HIM, IN FERVENT REQUESTS, OR IN THANKSGIVING AND ADORATION.
Ole Hallesby (1879–1961)
The One Year Bible Readings for today are: Isaiah 28:14–30:11; Galatians 3:23–4:31; Psalm 62:1-12 and Proverbs 23:19-21.
