Episode 042 – Psalm 23 Pt 9: Practicing God’s Presencei.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-264{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-264:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-264.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Psalm 23:6David concludes Psalm 23 by proclaiming, “and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” It’s a stunning ending to a stunning Psalm. But what’s David's context? What’s he declaring? Is he talking about Heaven? Is he talking about the Tabernacle (often referred to as “the house of the LORD”). Is “forever” the best translation? As we seek to answer these questions, I believe we’ll be invited into one of the most significant practices that enables us to grow in our awareness of God, and approach life with a perspective and maturity that we all long to possess.

Discussion Questions

What’s your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

Do you have some kind of grounding time to connect with God each day? What does this look like for you? How has this impacted your life?

David desperately sought to dwell in the presence of God. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 – being that “you struggle to do so” and 10 being that “you can’t wait to”), how would you rate your desire to dwell in God’s presence?

Have you ever considered the idea of recalibrating to the awareness of God in the midst of your day? What impact do you think this practice would have on your life?

Despite all that may be going on in the world and in your life, do you trust that God hasn’t lost control, and that he’s working in the midst of it all? Why or why not?

Do you find yourself holding onto to something in life with a tight grip? How is this affecting your work, relationships, and faith? Where is God asking you to loosen the grip?

What is one change you will make this week as you seek to daily practice the presence of God?

For Further Study

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day by Peter Scazzero

The Good Shepherd: A Thousand-Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament by Kenneth E. Bailey

Psalm 23: A Photo Commentary by Steven D. Anderson and Todd Bolen

Psalm 23: Photo Companion to the Bible (pictures) by Todd Bolen (BiblePlaces.com)

While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks by Timothy Laniak

Becoming a Judean Shepherd by Doug Greenwold