"I love You, O Lord, my strength." ~ Psalm 18:1
I read this verse in my devotions the other morning.
Thirty years ago, I was a freshmen student at Canadian Bible College, with a sweet roommate named Paula.  She had grown up in a Christian family, was raised going to church and really was a lovely person.  I felt in such contrast with her:  only a Christian follower for 3 years, barely knew my Bible and had a broken family that I was not sure how to relate to!
I remember Paula sharing this Scripture from Psalm 18 as her favourite verse.  It seemed very intimate and close with the Lord.  The words were simple, yet deep.  And I couldn't relate to her.
Looking back, I can see my relationship to God was still pretty formal and official.  I loved to worship, but God was big, distant, and holy.  I needed to please Him.  It was hard to say "I love You", to the Lord; it felt awkward and silly somehow...
How sad!  I longed for the kind of closeness my roommate seemed to have with her Saviour but I didn't know how to do that.
But when I read this verse now, I can draw such comfort and delight from the words.  God has been my strength over and over.  He is my Lord.  I do love Him!  I have grown in my understanding of who He is and I have come to trust Him with very deep and personal parts of my life.  How different to meditate on this Scripture and not feel it to be a foreign concept!
Thank you, Paula, for bringing that verse to my attention so many years ago and blessing me with your gentle and quiet testimony.