As A Friend

‘So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.’ Heb.4:16.

In Luke 11:1-11, Jesus teaches us how to approach God in prayer. Firstly, you approach God as a friend. Approach God as a friend you can run to when you are in need or when you have an emergency. ‘Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say’ Luke 11:5[NIV]. Approach God as a friend. If you are struggling with this right now or you cannot really say that you are a friend of God, it is okay. But I am praying that before you are done with today’s devotional, you will be able to say, “I’m a friend of God”. God is saying to us today, come when you need help the most. In counseling, I encounter people who admit their life is in a mess but decide to sort it out on their own before they come to God. , And I say to them, “Don’t you understand? You need God the most now when you are in a mess”. But they do not feel worthy and it is that unworthy feeling that fuels their decision to sort out their mess before coming to God. If you can sort out your mess before coming to God then you don’t need God. The truth is that it is in the mess, that you need God most and His strength is made perfect in weakness.

With my father, there was the car that we were allowed to try our hands on and the car that was off limits. But the way some of us are wired, it is that very car that has the “Don’t touch” label that is most appealing. So when no one is watching, you take the car for a test-drive just down the street. But the car drives so well so you extend your test-drive parameter and BANG! You do your best to panel beat the car because you cannot afford to take it to an auto shop. No matter how to try to hide what you have done, your father still discovers. Our experiences with our earthly fathers make us try to hide things or run away from authority figures when we have messed up. But God is saying, when you were taking the keys, I was there. When you bashed it, I was there. So bring it to Me and come boldly. Don’t come timidly; come boldly when you need help the most. Does that add up? The only thing that makes us come boldly, even though that’s when we need help the most, is the Blood of Jesus. It is the blood of Jesus that makes the difference. God wants you and I to come, just come.

Thought: When is the last time you went to God at midnight?

Prayer [Hymn]: Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee! E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me, still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to thee; nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!’.