Then David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house that You have brought me this far? And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant. For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 2 Samuel 7: 18-22, NKJV.
Dear Father, it is so good to know that we have a God that we can talk to, as we would, to a friend! Now we ask that You will teach us more about how to come to You in prayer. Amen
From the book Steps to Christ, page 64, [92-94], we read the following: “Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend.” This prayer of David, one of my favorite portions of scripture, is evidence of the fact that, that is the way David viewed prayer. Let us consider for a few minutes, different aspects of this prayer of David.
Then David went in and sat before the LORD. Prayer was such a natural thing for David, that when he went to pray, Scripture says that he “sat before the Lord.” He was at home in God’s presence; completely relaxed. He obviously enjoyed, being in the presence of the Lord, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16: 11). When we arrive somewhere and take a seat; it usually means we are not in a hurry to leave! David evidently felt he could open his “heart to God as to a friend.”
Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house that You have brought me this far? This portion of David’s prayer is so significant to me! What are we really, that God should consider us (Psalm 8: 4)? Like the songwriter we cannot help but ask, “Why should He love me so? Why should He love me so? Why should my Savior to Calvary go? Why should He love me so?” He even remembers those of our household, from generation to generation, and deals with them in mercy! Thank You, Jesus! In this relationship with God, we have nothing to offer, except our sinful selves, yet Scripture says: “He has loved us with an everlasting love… (Jeremiah 31: 3)! That’s why my heart leaps for joy whenever I think of “who He is, and who I am!” Bless His holy name!
Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant. What can I tell You about myself that You do not know God? Even before I was born You knew me! “Upon You I have leaned from my birth; it was You who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of [Y]ou” (Psalm 71: 6). What can the creature say to its creator; except, thank You LORD!
When was the last time you opened your heart to God as to a friend, in prayer? By this I mean, when was the last time you just talked to Him; was real with Him? No fancy words, just a humble emptying of yourself; just laying it all out before Him? If you have not; why not try it! You will be so glad that you did.
Tomorrow we will continue.