And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. — I Kings 10:2

It is not generally a wise thing to tell out all your heart. Samson reached the climax of folly when he did this to Delilah. Yet if we could meet with a Solomon who could solve all our difficulties, we might wisely do so.

We have a greater than Solomon in Jesus, who is incarnate Wisdom. The mischief is, that with him we are too silent, and with worldly friends, too communicative. This evil should be rectified.

  1. Neglect of intercourse with Jesus is very unkind; for he invites us to talk with him, saying, "Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely" (Song of Sol. 2:14). Shall our heavenly Bridegroom be deprived of the fellowship of our souls?
  2. To conceal anything from so true a Friend betrays the sad fact that there is something wrong to be concealed.
  3. It shows a want of confidence in his love, or his sympathy, or his wisdom, if we cannot tell Jesus all that is in or upon our hearts. Between bride and Bridegroom there should be no secrets, or love will be wounded.
  4. It will be the cause of uneasiness to ourselves if we withhold anything from him. The responsibility will all rest with us, and this will weigh heavily.
  5. It will involve the loss of his counsel and help; for when we unbosom ourselves to him, he meets our case. If we hide our trouble, he may leave us to fret until we confide more fully in him.
  6. Reticence towards Jesus is greatly aggravated by our usual eagerness to tell our troubles to others. Will we make a confidant of man, and hide the matter from our God?

   l. Our sorrows. He knows what they are, will comfort us under them, help us to profit by them, and in due time remove them.
  2. Our joys. He will sober and salt them. Joy without Jesus is the sun without light, the essence of it is gone. Joy without Jesus would be as evil as the golden calf which provoked the Lord to jealousy.
  3. Our service. He was a Servant, and therefore he knows our heart, and will sympathize with our difficulties. Let us speak freely.
  4. Our plans. He had zeal and ardor, and was quick of understanding in the fear of the Lord: he will gladly commune with us concerning all that is in our hearts to do for the Father.
  5. Our successes and failures should be reported at head-quarters. The disciples of the martyred John took up the body, and went and told Jesus (Matt. 14:12). Our Lord's own evangelists returned and told what had been done (Luke 9:10).
  6. Our desires. Holiness, usefulness, heaven: all these awaken the sympathy of Jesus: he prays for us about these things.
  7. Our fears: fears of falling, needing, failing, fainting, dying. To mention these to Jesus is to end them.
  8. Our loves. Of earth and of heaven, towards others and to himself. That love which we dare not tell to Jesus is an evil lusting.
  9. Our mysteries: incomprehensible feelings, undefinable uneasinesses, and complex emotions, will be all the better for being ventilated in Jesus's presence.

  1. How ennobling and elevating is intercourse with the Son of God!
  2. How consoling and encouraging is fellowship with him who has overcome the world!
  3. How sanctifying and refining is union with the perfect One, who is the Lord our righteousness!
  4. How safe and healthy is a daily walk with the ever-blessed Son of man!
  5. How proper and natural for disciples to talk with their Teacher, and saints with their Savior!
  6. How delightful and heavenly is rapturous converse with the Beloved of our souls!

• Warning to those who never speak with Jesus. Will he not say at the last, "I never knew you"?


• Complaint of those who seldom commune with him. "Is this thy kindness to thy friend?"


• Hint to those who usually live in communion with him. Be sure: to keep up the holy intercourse; and to this end be very thorough, unlock every room in your house, and let Jesus enter.


• Congratulation of those who have long enjoyed his fellowship.

A workman in time of need would part with everything before his tools for to lose them would be to lose all. Reading the Word of God and prayer are the tools of the Christian's craft: without them he is helpless. How is it, then, that when time presses, he so often foregoes these, or shortens them? What is this but to sell his tools?

If there be anything I do, if there be anything I leave undone, let me be perfect in prayer. — Henry Martyn

What would be said of a member of a family who refused to speak with his father or his brother? What a source of unhappiness to have such a person in the house! What, then, must be thought of a professed spouse of Jesus who has had no personal intercourse with him by the month together? Lack of holy communion is a very grievous thing. True love is communicative; it cannot bear to keep its secrets from its Beloved, nor to be restrained in its converse with him. Let the believer see to it that he is not like one of whom we asked, "How long is it since you had fellowship with Jesus?" and he answered, "It is so long ago that I have almost forgotten it." Was not this an evil sign?

The believer should be familiar in the house over which Christ is set, and draw near with full assurance of faith. Come and tell him all your wants and desires freely, without concealing anything from him, for that would argue distance and distrust. The stronger faith is, the more wants it tells, and the more fully it tells them. Do you want anything of which you cannot tell your Lord? It argues either no real need, or else little faith. Strong faith hath free communion with heaven, and conceals nothing, but tells all (Eph. 3:12). "In whom we have boldness." The word translated boldness is "telling all." — Thomas Boston