Let us pray – Part 17

“Show Him the wounds of your heart that He may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil; tell Him how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and others. Tell Him – He’s your friend.”

If you are open and honest before God then you will not lack things to say to Him. Friends who have not hide secrets from each other never run out of conversation. They do not weight their words, for there is nothing to be held back. They talk out of the abundance of the heart; without needing to measure their words; they say what they think. Like Hannah, we should pour out our heart to God (1 Sam 1:15). In fact, in Lamentations we are told to ‘pour out our hearts like water in the presence of the Lord’ (Lam 2:19). Blessed is the man or woman who attains such intimacy with God and talks with Him as friend to friend.Friend to friend dialogue

How Did Abraham Tell God All That Was In His Heart?
Read Gen 15:1-21 on God’s Covenant with Abram; God promises a son to Abram.

“And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” (Gen 15:6)
Although Abram had been demonstrating his faith through his actions, it was his belief in the Lord, not his actions that made Abram right with God (Rom 4:1-5). We too can have a right relationship with God by trusting him. Our outward actions — church attendance, prayers, good deeds — will not by themselves make us right with God. A right relationship is based on faith — the heartfelt inner confidence that God is who he says he is and does what he says he will do. Right actions will follow naturally as by-products.

“(Abram) believed … he counted it to him for righteousness.” For the first time faith and righteousness are mentioned together in Scripture.
• In the OT, faith had a twofold designation:
(a) “trust in” or “reliance upon.”
(b) “fidelity to” or ‘faithfulness.”

Thus, “believe” (Heb ‘aman) means to persevere in trust and belief by manifesting an obedient faithfulness. This was the kind of faith Abram possessed. His heart was turned towards God in an enduring trust, obedience and submission.
• God saw Abram’s heart-attitude of faith and counted it to him for righteousness. The term ‘righteousness” means being in a right relationship to God and His will (cf. 6:9; Job 15:14-16).
Furthermore, God entered into covenant fellowship with Abram, whereby Abram received God as his shield and reward (v.1), many descendants (v.5), and the promise of the land (v.7).
• Under the new covenant, God’s blessing, a right relationship with Him and fellowship with Him also come through faith.
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