A faithful friend in painful times

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God and my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.  Psalm 25:4-5

True story ...

From time to time throughout my Christian life, people would suggest I keep a Scripture or prayer journal.  After years of “I’m glad you enjoy that, but it’s not for me,” I decided to begin setting aside a few minutes each day just for that purpose.  And so, properly equipped with Bible, notepad, pen and coffee, the journey began one January morning.

The pattern was intuitive enough.  Reading a passage until a verse grabbed my attention, I would write down that verse and then whatever thoughts it stirred in me – insights, questions, conviction … anything.  Then I would end the time by writing out a short prayerful response to what I had read and written.  It was like a warm conversation.  In fact, it became just that – a warm conversation.

The impact inside was immediate and profound.  Absorbing the Word and responding to its power and truth, I began to “get” David, the psalmist, and his complete openness and honesty before God.  And I began to “get” John, the apostle who unabashedly wrote about his love for Jesus and Jesus’ love for him.

And the Spirit began to teach.  I learned much about Christ in me ... about being restored to oneness with God through Jesus ... and about the consistent scriptural call to live in faith today, “as long as it is called Today.”  The Spirit also began to convict me, and in the process I learned to discern between the harsh blame of Satan’s accusations and the clear and gentle guidance of the Spirit’s counsel.

Sometime after God and I began our morning talks, I went through one of the most difficult trials of my life.  It was a time of injustice, frustration and humiliation.  And great pain!  Yet all throughout that lengthy time, I experienced inexplicable joy.  In fact, I never knew one could experience such pain and such joy at the same time.  But I did!  It was because God never failed to show up for our daily discussions over coffee, his truth pouring from the pages of Scripture into my soul, and overflowing then onto pages of ink. 

It’s been five years now, and we still get together over morning coffee and daily bread.  What a great friend!  He shows up every day.

For faithful and true is who he is; it is his nature.  He cherishes his time with the people of his redeeming.  He loves to converse with us, to teach us, to develop us.  And to lead us right through the challenges and pitfalls of this broken world.  He is joy, our companion in the midst of pain.

The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.  My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.  Psalm 25:14-15

[See the daily reading, Psalm 25:1-15, click here.]