Few joys rival that of a fiancée as she admires her diamond ring in the glitter of the sunlight. She basks in the glow of exclusive love. Her lover has made a commitment to love her and her alone, and he has affirmed that promise with a diamond ring. She unashamedly shares the news with everyone she knows.
Marriage, the Bible tells us, is a picture of God’s love for his own people. If you are in a right relationship with God, He loves you with an exclusive love. You have a special audience with the King of creation. And that truth is cause for deep joy and unashamed sharing of the good news!
Consider a few passages from the Psalms.
“Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings” Psalm 17:8; also see 57:1b
“Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.”
Psalm 25:22
Do you, like the psalmist, wish that your prayers would have special power and significance as they rise like “incense” and “the evening sacrifice” before God (141:2)? Do we pray for and expect God to give us spiritual victory like David’s people prayed for his military victories (20:1-5)?
God has promised to turn His face toward our plight (4:6; 86:16a), to pay attention to our prayers (5:1-2), to see the affliction of enemies, and to be gracious to us. We can ask God to lift up His hand and not forget the afflicted (10:12), to save us (69:1; 86:2b), to consider and answer us (13:3), to hear a just cause and attend to our cry by giving ear to our prayers, answering us, delivering us, and vindicating us.
Just last night I was watching the new animated movie, Pilgrim’s Progress. In it, a pilgrim named Christian is told that help is never far away. All he needs to do is ask. On his dangerous journey, Christian repeats this promise to himself over and over, and often claims it, always with success.
And all any child of God needs to do is ask God for help. Help may not always come when and how we expect it, but it will always be for our good and God’s glory. When we turn to God in exclusive dependence, we experience His exclusive care. Rest in that truth today.
CP
Worship as a Way of Life 
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