AS I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD'S LOVE I DRAW NEAR TO HIM

AS I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD’S LOVE I DRAW NEAR TO HIM

What a moment for David when he went in and sat before the Lord — sitting there in the full consciousness of the Lord’s mind about him! He does not go there to obtain anything from the Lord. He had heard from Nathan how the Lord purposed concerning him and the Lord’s thoughts of him, and now he goes in and sits before Him to enjoy the Lord’s thoughts about him in the Lord’s own presence, and he tells us that it is because of this he has found it in his heart to pray this prayer. He expatiates before the Lord on the purposes and intentions of the Lord, he knows the place he occupies in the Lord’s thoughts, and this gives him confidence. I have confidence in the Lord when I know how He feels about me. No amount of desire or gift from Him in itself could give me this confidence, but as I know His feelings about me I have confidence; and as I have confidence I draw near and sit before Him. I cannot conceive anything more satisfying or cheering to the heart than the consciousness that I may not only draw near, but that I draw near in answer to the thought and interest that the Lord has about me, and that I draw near to enjoy myself in His presence where there is so much thought and interest about me. Then my heart goes out in acknowledgment to Him in answer to His deep, gracious, and everlasting love. What a retreat for one it is! It is the effect that reading the word ought always to have on us. I believe the account He gives me of His love, and then in spirit I draw near and sit before Him; I go over all His gracious purposes, making them sure to myself in His presence,

^[p. 202] and having them confirmed the more to myself, in connection with the Author of them. This latter is of great importance because it promotes and establishes the dependence which is the joy and strength of the new man, by which and in which the dependence subsists.