James 24:7

I love the 16th Psalm.  I love it for its boldness. I say "boldness" because the Psalmist begins by putting God in a bind.  In effect he says, "God I take refuge in you so you have little choice but to keep me safe!"

Once you see that the whole Psalm opens up to you.  If God is obligated to keep safe those who take refuge in Him, then life can be lived in confidence and fear can be held at bay.

"God...I don't know what to tell you but I've crawled into your pocket and do not intend to move.  What can you do but look after me now?"

The Psalmist goes on to praise "the saints."  (vs. 3)  My paraphrase of that verse is something like this: "Lord, I look around me and see your saints and they all shine like the sun!  I am delighted by them because I see that even in my doubt I can rest in their faith; even as I sink into despair I am lifted up by their hope."

When I was going through a hard time I was comforted by the prayers of friends.

This morning my agent, "Irv", sent me a prayer she picked up from Beliefnet.org.  The prayer is by Vienna Cobb Anderson and it about says it all...

Prayer for Friendship

You have blessed us, O God,
with the gift of friendship,
the bonding of persons
in a circle of love.
We thank you for such a blessing:
for friends who love us,
who share our sorrows,
who laugh with us in celebration,
who bear our pain,
who need us as we need them,
who weep as we weep,
who hold us when words fail,
and who give us the freedom
to be ourselves.
Bless our friends with health,
wholeness, life, and love.
Amen.