Dwell | PsalmsSample

I Call Out, He Answers

Introduction

Hi, this is Ian, and welcome to Dwell.

For the next few minutes, I invite you to join me as we recenter upon the Lord by opening our hearts to hear from him through the words of Scripture.

Thanks for joining us.

Silence

As we begin, let's sit in silence for a moment, seeking to be attentive to the presence of God, the one in whom we live and move and have our being.

Passage

And now Psalm 3.

Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
Arise, Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
From the Lord comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people. (NIV)

Exhortation

Friend, I’m not sure how you are or how you’re doing in this moment as we interact. You very well might feel like “tens of thousands” are assailing you on every side; like many foes are rising up against you. And while these may not be literal, fleshly foes, the foe of anxiety, or fear; stress, or worry, or despair or confusion, or hurt might be very real for you today.

The Psalmist David knows exactly what you’re feeling. And what does he do in that place? He writes, “I call out to the Lord, and he answers me.”

I wonder if you might do the same in this moment? I invite you to dig deep — can you name what’s assailing you? And once you’ve identified what these foes might be, call out to the Lord. Just name them before Him — don’t even worry about coming to any kind of resolution. There can be much peace found in simply taking these things to Him. He loves when you do. Then, continue the time of silence by trusting and resting in the reality that He hears You, and in ways that maybe you can’t even fathom, is moving and working on your behalf out of His deep, boundless, and unique love for you. Take heart — He’s with You in this moment.

Active Response

So let’s linger now in silence with God's word and this reflection upon our hearts.

Closing Prayer

Lord God, thank You so much for hearing us when we call out to You. Thank You so much for being with us in our place of pain. Thank You for being a shield around us. We rest under the shelter of Your wings today. Amen.

Outro

Now, go in peace, and let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.