Psalm 116: Talking to God
Honesty is a necessary ingredient to all intimate relationships. If we are to grow in our intimacy with God, we will need to learn to be honest with him. This will require us to challenge our distorted images of God and to grow in our understanding of him. God invites us to talk to him. He has promised to pay attention. He does not require us to do any physical, mental or spiritual gymnastics to get his attention. He does not insist that we have our lives "together" before we can talk to him. We can talk to him even when we are in trouble. We will always find him interested and compassionate.
Warming Up to God
Imagine yourself as one of the little children whom Jesus invited to come to him. Imagine yourself standing next to Jesus. Take a few minutes to close your eyes and experience his arm around your shoulder as you stand next to him. Tell him what you are thinking and feeling. What thoughts and feelings did you have during this meditation?
Read Psalm 116. »
Discovering the Word
- What images of God are presented here?
- What did the author of the psalm experience when he called on God?
- How does the psalmist respond to God (vv. 12-19)?
- God invites us to talk to him about our troubles. He does not ask us to ignore them or minimize them or take care of them ourselves. How does this compare or contrast with your expectations of God?
Applying the Word
- Think of a time when you had difficulty calling on God. What made it difficult for you?
- Recall a time when you did call on God and he "answered you and showed you great and mighty things." What was this experience like for you?
Responding in Prayer
What do you need to talk with God about today?
For Further Study
The Joy of Listening to God by Joyce Huggett