Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
—Psalm 62:8 (KJV)
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
It is so hard to share the secrets of our hearts with anyone. We want to keep our secret failings, embarrassments, and sins hidden. We fear that others would reject us and we would shame ourselves if anyone knew the secret sludge in our hearts. But hidden sin is only hidden from us. It is not hidden from our Father. Hidden sin festers in our hearts and drives a wedge between us and the God who would forgive us and empower us to triumph over it. If only we would pour out our hearts to him knowing that he longs to be our refuge.
My Prayer...
Loving Father and Holy God, today I want to confess to you several things on my heart. Father, I am afraid for others to know that I have...(confess your most secret and shameful sins to God) Holy God, I have sinned and ask your forgiveness for...(confess those sins that others may not see as all that important, but that Satan uses to diminish your allegiance to God) Eternal Lord, I get anxious about...(confess those things that make you worry and place them in God's hands) You alone are my refuge and strength. I trust these confessions with you and ask that you strengthen me by the power of your Holy Spirit to not fall into these same traps again and again. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
1 Timothy 3
1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
Psalms 97
1 The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. 2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. 3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
Psalms 96
1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
John 20
1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.