1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi there, and welcome to another Prayer through 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: the Psalms episode of the Praying Christian Women podcast. I'm 3 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: Jamie Hampton, and I am really excited today to get 4 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: to talk about and pray through Psalm sixty three. So 5 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: before we actually read the psalm and get into our 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 1: prayer time and our devotion, I want to give you 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: a little bit of background, because this is really fun 8 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: that this Psalm gives us a footnote with some extra 9 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: scriptures that give us a background into what David's mindset 10 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: was and what his situation was when he wrote this psalm. 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: This is Psalm sixty three. It's called the Thirsting Soul 12 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: Satisfied in God. It's a psalm of David when he 13 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: was in the wilderness of Judah. And this little footnote 14 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: that we get is First Samuel twenty two five and 15 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: twenty three fourteen. So I want to go a little 16 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: bit further back First Samuel twenty two. I want to 17 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: just kind of read the beginning in a nutshell. David 18 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: was fleeing Saul. That was the theme of when we 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: get into First Samuel chapter twenty two. So David departed 20 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: from there and escaped to the cave of Agilam, and 21 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: when his brothers and all his father's household heard about it, 22 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: they went down there to him. Then everyone who was 23 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 1: in distress, and everyone who is in debt, and everyone 24 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: who was discontented gathered to him, and he became captain 25 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: over them. Now there were about four hundred men with him. 26 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: So a few things are happening here. David is fleeing 27 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: from Saul. He has found this nice little cave in Agilam, 28 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: and it's called a stronghold. Caves were great places of 29 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: military strategy because usually they're up high in a mountain. 30 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: You have a great vantage point to look and see 31 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: when your enemies are coming. Typically you're surrounded on all 32 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: sides by rock. So unless they're coming through a mountain 33 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: from the other side through corridors, which you know, more 34 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: power to them. If they go to that trouble, then 35 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: I guess they deserve to win. But other than that, 36 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: you basically are secure on all sides but one, and 37 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: so you can have a great strategic vantage point. And 38 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: David himself calls God a stronghold, and that can be 39 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: this picture of being in the safe, secure cave on 40 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: a high vantage point solid rock all around you. Then 41 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: he's got his family that came down to this strongholder, 42 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: came to this stronghold with him, who heard about him 43 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: fleeing there. And also this whole other group, everyone who 44 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: is in distress, everyone who is in debt, everyone who 45 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 1: is discontented, gathered to him and he became captain over them, 46 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: and there were about four hundred men. Later on, there 47 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: is a group of men that David kind of considers 48 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: his inner circle, and they came from this core group 49 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: of men that originally decided to follow him. Were guessing 50 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,040 Speaker 1: if they were in debt, if they're discontented, if they're 51 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: in distress, that they're not enjoying Saul's leadership and the 52 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,399 Speaker 1: way that he does things. So they're basically pledging their 53 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: loyalty to David, and he became captain, which is a 54 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: military term, so he basically became their leader. He kind 55 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: of had like a militia beginning to form, and it 56 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: wasn't small. So David went from there to Mispah of 57 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: Moab and he said to the King of Moab, please 58 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: let my father and mother come and stay with you 59 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: until I know what God will do for me. So 60 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: he knew God would do something. He was a man 61 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: after God's own heart. God was his leader, his general, 62 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: so to speak. But he didn't know what his fate 63 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: would be, and so he wanted his parents to be safe, 64 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: so he tucks them away in Misbah, where the King 65 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: of Moab kept his parents safe. And presumably he goes 66 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: back to this stronghold with his band of brothers of 67 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: these four hundred people, and it says that they stayed 68 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: with that king until the whole time that David was 69 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: in the stronghold. But God, the prophet said to David, 70 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: do not stay in the stronghold, leave and go into 71 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: the land of Judah. So David left and went into 72 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: the forest of Herath. And this is where we find 73 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: David writing Psalm sixty three, is when he is in 74 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 1: the wilderness, in the forest of Herath, after basically leaving 75 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 1: the ideal strategic military situation in this stronghold, surrounded by 76 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: a bunch of loyal men, his parents tucked away safely 77 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 1: with the King of Moab. But he did it because 78 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: God told him through this prophet God, to leave and 79 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: to go into this unprotected land, into this forest where 80 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 1: he would be open to his enemies. He would be 81 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: not safe like he would be in the stronghold, but 82 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: he chose to obey. So I just really want us 83 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: to kind of be in that mindset as we go 84 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: into Psalm sixty three, because I don't know if you 85 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: can relate or not, but I totally can living a 86 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: life where you feel secure, you feel like everything is good, 87 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 1: and then God throws you a curveball and he's like, Nope, 88 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 1: it's time to go somewhere else that's not as safe, 89 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: that's not as secure. But what David knew, and what 90 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: you and I know, at least in our brain, if 91 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: we can't always internalize it, is that we would rather 92 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: go to an unideal, less secure, more dangerous situation with 93 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: God than to stay back in safety without him. And 94 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 1: that is what this psalm boils down to. All right, 95 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: let's pray Father God. We just we just thank you 96 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: so much for being our general, for being the one 97 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: who leads us into whatever battle you choose for us 98 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 1: to go into next. And we know that when we 99 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 1: follow you, even if it's scary, even if it doesn't 100 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: make sense in a worldly sense, even if it's not logical, 101 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 1: even if it doesn't seem like the best strategic move 102 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: for the moment that when you lead us, that good 103 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: will come of it. And I just pray for those 104 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: that are listening right now, who are being called out 105 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: of the security of a stronghold that feels right and 106 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: safe and logical into a forest that feels scary and 107 00:06:55,279 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 1: open and vulnerable. Just give them the peace that transcends 108 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: understanding to guard their hearts and their minds. In Christ, 109 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: Jesus Father, we want to hear from you clearly. We 110 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 1: don't want to miss your voice. We don't want to 111 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: go into things or rush into things recklessly or carelessly. 112 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: We want to be good stewards of our lives and 113 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: of our finances, and of our family, and of the 114 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: people and the things and the ministries and the gifts 115 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: in our care. But we don't want to miss your 116 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: best by playing it safe. And so we just come 117 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: before you begging you speak to us, Lord, like the 118 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: verse that says, whether you go to the right or 119 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 1: to the left, you'll hear a voice behind you saying 120 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:57,239 Speaker 1: this is the way walk in it. We just pray 121 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: for that voice, for that word, for that guidance, that 122 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: it would be clear, and thank you God that we 123 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: don't have to get it right every time we're in 124 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: a relationship with you, so we can keep asking. We 125 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: can keep asking for confirmation and clarity. And we know 126 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: that when we ask, you will be faithful to show us. 127 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 1: And we claim that and we stand on it in 128 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: Jesus name. Amen. Well, let's jump into Psalm sixty three. 129 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: We're reading as usual from the Nasby nineteen ninety five. 130 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: And like I said, this is the thirsting soul satisfied 131 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: in God, a psalm of David when he was in 132 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 1: the wilderness of Judah. Oh God, you are my God. 133 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: I shall seek you earnestly. My soul thirsts for you. 134 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: My flesh yearns for you in a dry and weary 135 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,839 Speaker 1: land where there is no water. Thus I have seen 136 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,079 Speaker 1: you in the sanctuary, to see your power and your glory. 137 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: Because your loving kindness is better than life. My lips 138 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,439 Speaker 1: will praise you, so I will bless you as long 139 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: as I live. I will lift up my hands in 140 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: your name. My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, 141 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: and my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. When I 142 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: remember you on my bed, I meditate on you in 143 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: the night, watches for you have been my help, and 144 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: in the shadow of your wings, I will sing for joy. 145 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: My soul clings to you. Your right hand upholds me. 146 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: But those who seek my life to destroy it will 147 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: go into the depths of the earth. They will be 148 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 1: delivered over to the power of the sword. They will 149 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 1: be a prey for foxes. But the King will rejoice 150 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: in God. Everyone who swears by him will glory, for 151 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped. 152 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: So here's David in the forest, in the wilderness. I'm 153 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 1: guessing that he is probably physically thirsty, physically tired, physically hungry, weary, 154 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 1: maybe even feeling a little hopeless. And as we know 155 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: with David, I hate saying fake it till you make it. 156 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 1: But I feel like David speaks truth before he can 157 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: internalize it. Like I said, we can know things in 158 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: our mind and in our brain and not be on 159 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 1: board with it completely with our hearts and our feelings 160 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: and emotions. And what David does so many times is 161 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: he speaks truth before he actually is necessarily caught up 162 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: with his heart and spirit and emotions. And I feel 163 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 1: like that's what he's saying. He's saying, I will seek 164 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: you earnestly. I am thirsty in body, my soul thirst 165 00:10:56,120 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: for you. I am hungry in byes. My flesh yearns 166 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: for you in a dry and weary land where there's 167 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: no water. I've seen you in the sanctuary, to see 168 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: your power and glory. And he says, because your loving 169 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: kindness is better than life. And that word loving kindness, 170 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 1: the original Hebrew word, is covenant language. It's not just oh, 171 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: you're being nice to someone or showing someone mercy. It 172 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: is your loving kindness that you have bound yourself to me. 173 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: A human, the creator of the universe has chosen to 174 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: adopt a human as his own. It's a permanence, it's 175 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: an agape love and also an all encompassing adoption and sonship. 176 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: And because that is better than life, my lips will 177 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,439 Speaker 1: praise you. And I think David is saying, you know what, 178 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: even if all of this was for nothing, even if 179 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: I come out here and I starve to death, or 180 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:07,079 Speaker 1: I die of thirst, or I get eaten by jackals, 181 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: it's worth it because you're here and that cave might 182 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: have been safer, but you weren't there. And so even 183 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: if I die, your loving kindness being bound to you, 184 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: being a bond servant to you, Lord, It's better than life, 185 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: and death doesn't scare me when you're with me. I 186 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: love this, he says. When I remember you on my bed, 187 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 1: I meditate on you in the night watches, for you 188 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: have been my help. And in the shadow of your wings, 189 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: I sing for joy. My soul clings to you. Your 190 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 1: right hand upholds me. So as David goes to sleep 191 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: in this scary wilderness, he's probably needing to be watchful 192 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: for predators, for enemy, for bandits, for robbers, and so 193 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: he meditates on God during the night watches, where presumably 194 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: it's scary. I'm guessing, but God has been his help 195 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 1: And I love this picture. We've talked about it before. 196 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 1: In the shadow of your wings, I sing for joy. 197 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:25,839 Speaker 1: Think of that picture. You cannot sing for joy. If 198 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: you're being hypervigilant. You can sing, you know, Like I 199 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: remember when we would go hiking in the Alaskan wilderness. 200 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: We would sing sometimes or whistle or do something because 201 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,439 Speaker 1: we wanted to make ourselves known to any bears, because 202 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: bears don't really want to come across humans typically, but 203 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: if you sneak up on them, they might just eat 204 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 1: you or maul you if you scare them, especially if 205 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,959 Speaker 1: they have babies. So we wanted to be singing or 206 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: talking loud, or have bear bells, although some people call 207 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: bear bells dinner bells. But you wanted to have something 208 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: to let them know you're there, because the bears would 209 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: not necessarily want to be there. But so you could 210 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:10,199 Speaker 1: be singing and still be vigilant, but singing for joy, 211 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: Like I kind of have you ever just been singing 212 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: a praise song and just you kind of get lost 213 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: in it. When you're singing for joy, your attention's all 214 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: on God. And David says, and I wonder if he 215 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: sang for joy out there in the wilderness, knowing that 216 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: he was musical, knowing that he did sing and play 217 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: the lyre in different instruments. But he said, in the 218 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: shadow of your wings, I sing for joy, whether it's 219 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: metaphorical or actually practical. When he feels held by God 220 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: in a protective sense, in the shadow of his wings 221 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 1: where nothing can get to him, then you have that 222 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: freedom to sing for joy. So going back to our 223 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: example of is God calling you out of a place 224 00:14:57,240 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: of safety into a place that feels more vulnerable, that 225 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: feels more dangerous, that feels more uncertain. I just I 226 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: want a picture for me, that imagery of I want 227 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 1: to get to the place where I feel so held 228 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: in God's perfect will for my life, that I have 229 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: the freedom to sing, that I don't have to be 230 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: hypervigilant or scared, and then no matter what chaos is 231 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: going around going on around me, that I can be 232 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: kind of in that holy cocoon of God's wings sheltering 233 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: me and giving me the freedom to absolutely sing for joy. 234 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: Let's pray, Father, God, we praise you for being bigger 235 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: than anything we could ever imagine. There is no problem, 236 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: there is no enemy, there's no hurdle, there's no barrier, 237 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: nothing that can stand in the way of us and 238 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: the perfect plans that you have for our lives. There 239 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: is no safer place than being right in the middle 240 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: of your will for us. And it doesn't mean that 241 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: we will necessarily have the privilege of being physically safe 242 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: or even to keep our lives. There are plenty of 243 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: people who lose their lives in the service of the king. 244 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: But as David said, you are far greater. You are 245 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: far better than the safety that has afforded us apart 246 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: from you. So even if we step into danger, even 247 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: if things that we wish hadn't happened to us, we 248 00:16:57,120 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: know that you are there with us, and that you 249 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 1: are accomplishing good in us and through us. So Lord, 250 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: we again just ask for your words, your instruction, your 251 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 1: direction to be louder than any of the other stuff 252 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: around us. Please diminish and quiet all of those other 253 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: things so that your voice would be clear. Just attune 254 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: our ears to the frequency of your voice and your 255 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:33,159 Speaker 1: voice alone. And I just pray Lord that whatever it 256 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: is that you're calling us into, or have called us into, 257 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: that you would remove fear. You've not given us a 258 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and of 259 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 1: love and of a sound mind. All fear does is 260 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 1: paralyze us and keep us from the abundant life that 261 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: you have planned for us. So help us to live 262 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: in freedom and enjoy that we could sing songs of joy, Lord, 263 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: and embrace what you have for us. Next and where 264 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: you have called us, you will also equip us and 265 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: protect us to be able to accomplish those things that 266 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: you have for us. Lord, Amen, we'd like to take 267 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: just a quick second to thank the team at Life 268 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:32,239 Speaker 1: Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. If 269 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: you go to lifeaudio dot com you will find dozens 270 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 1: of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got 271 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 1: shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and so much more. 272 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: That's lifeaudio dot com.