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“Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?  He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”
Psalm 25:12,14   NIV

If you fear the Lord, raise your hand. You, with your hand up: these words were written for you. You can trust the Lord to instruct you in the ways you should choose because that’s what He promised. And He will confide in you as a friend.

There are many times in the life of a Christian when we hear in our hearts that confiding voice or the voice of divine instruction. One way He speaks is through the Bible. Another is through prayer. And sometimes He comes to us unexpectedly as a friend. Here are some real-life examples:

The Lord confided to a high school junior that she needed to take summer school despite already having almost enough credits to graduate. When her parents asked why she made that strange decision, she said God told her to do it. They thought, “Good enough,” but still wondered about it. That fall, in her senior year, she came down with tonsillitis. For a seventeen-year-old, tonsillitis is no light matter. Recovery from surgery was slow and painful, causing her to miss many weeks of school. But because she had obeyed the voice of the Lord by attending summer school, she was able to graduate with her class.

A widow experiencing desperate loneliness was traveling to a conference. From her hotel room, she cried out to the Lord that she needed a husband. He spoke into her spirit, “I’ll be your husband,” but she told Him she wanted a human husband so she could feel loved and cherished. (Can you imagine telling the Lord ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ to a marriage proposal?) During that intense prayer session, the Lord manifested His love to her so strongly that she was overcome with tears. She was shocked that God could touch her emotions that way. Knowing she was already loved more than a human husband could love, she left that hotel room as a happy, content widow. Four years later, the Lord told her, “It’s time. You need to start praying for a husband.” That took her by surprise, but she obeyed, and within five months, she was married.

In the early twentieth century, a girl named Carrie, about six years old, lived on a farm. She was treated harshly by her mother and had no playmates because she was responsible for watching her two younger brothers. The boys had an undiagnosed disease that made them fall continually. An older sister also had the same condition. As a result, the neighbors made fun of the family. Carrie felt shunned by everyone. One day she was allowed to attend a children’s program at the local church. While there, she saw a little girl crying and her older brother putting his arms around her. Carrie’s heart broke. She thought, “I wish I had an older brother like that.” Then a voice in her head said, “I’ll be your brother.” She didn’t learn it was the voice of Jesus until much later, but she felt strangely comforted. Carrie was my grandmother. She told me about this incident shortly before she died at the age of ninety-five.

Countless other people have similar stories to tell, stories that are so private and precious that some of them don’t want to share them publicly. If you have never heard that intimate whisper from God, check your heart. Make sure every sin has been dealt with. Draw close to Him in prayer, and He will draw close to you—close enough to speak into your heart privately.

“Heavenly Father, thank you for Your love that is so extreme that You take time to confide in us, to instruct us in the paths we should choose, and to care for us. Help us to listen carefully for Your voice so we don’t miss anything You have for us.

For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams (www.cherieharbridgewilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life