Enlightened Prayer

The unfolding of your words gives light. (Psalm 119:130 NIV)

Take a second look at the four verses in the middle of today's reading, and notice how heartfelt the prayers are the psalmist addresses to God.

Then to find what makes them so, look again at the verses on either side: "The unfolding of your words gives light" (v. 130 NIV), "Make your face shine upon your servant" (v. 135 NIV). Unlike many would-be pray-ers, this servant of God sees clearly what he is doing. He is not in the dark about who he is praying to, or what he is praying for, because of the light of which these framing verses speak.

We have many opportunities, alone and together, to open the Word of God. Light always streams from the opened Word, even when people are blind to it; let's make our very first prayer on every such occasion that as the Word is opened our eyes should be opened, too.

The light that shines in Scripture is the light of the face of God. When we read the Word we are meeting the Lord. He and his Word are never to be separated. How do you know an "experience of the Lord" is valid? When it is in line with his Book. How do you recognize a real opening up of his Book? By whether it shows you something of him.

Prayer: Lord, make your face shine upon your servant.

Used with Permission.