Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Come and Listen!

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:39 pm by Guest Contributor

Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Come and Listen! 2015-03-13T15:39:03-05:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Come and Listen!

Psalm 66:1-20

Come and listen, all you who fear God,
and I will tell you what he did for me.

Psalm 66:16

In Psalm 66, an anonymous poet celebrates God’s awesome deeds. His example of testifying to what God has done serves as an example for the whole earth, so that everyone might join in the celebration (66:1-4). In verse 5, the psalmist invites people to “come and see what our God has done.” This “seeing” happens as the psalmist uses words to paint a vivid picture of God’s salvation of Israel from Egypt.

Then, in verse 16, the psalm writer invites people not to see, but to hear: “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.” In particular, the psalmist relates how the Lord heard his prayer when he cried out for help. Thus the psalm concludes: “Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me” (66:20).

Psalm 66:16 reminds me of the power of a verbal declaration of God’s faithfulness. Some Christian traditions speak of “sharing your testimony.” Others talk about “bearing witness.” At Laity Lodge, where I work, we often invite people to be a “witness” in the context of a retreat. Though their shared words might focus on how they first came to know the Lord, witnesses usually offer a broad account of how God has worked in their lives, right up to the present moment. Often, witnesses share openly their struggles and failures, as well as their successes and victories. Their words and their lives point to God’s love and grace in action.

The stories of the witnesses at Laity Lodge have unique power both to glorify God and to encourage those who have gathered in their own walk of faith. Psalm 66 encourages us to share with others the ways God is at work in our lives, not only during retreats at Laity Lodge, but in all sorts of different settings. As you invite people to “come and listen” to what God has done and is doing in your life, God will be honored and people will be drawn to a deeper relationship with him.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Have you heard “testimonies” or “witnesses” that have been especially encouraging to you? Do you ever tell others about what God is doing in your life? Are there situations in your life where you might be more open in bearing witness to God’s grace?

PRAYER: Thank you, dear Lord, for the example of Psalm 66. I am reminded by this psalm of the power of the spoken word to glorify you and to point people to you. Thank you for those who have openly shared with me how you have made a difference in their lives. I think of my Sunday School teachers, camp counselors, church members of Irvine Presbyterian, and many who come to retreats at Laity Lodge. How grateful I am for their testimony to you.

Help me, Lord, to speak openly with others about your grace at work in my life. May I freely tell people of how you have saved me and blessed me, like the writer of Psalm 66. Amen.

_________________________________________________

Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?

Here’s how . . . .

This devotional comes from The High Calling: Everyday Conversations about Work, Life, and God (www.thehighcalling.org). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace. The High Calling is associated with Laity Lodge, where I work.

Inspiration from the High Calling

High Calling

Inspiration from the High Calling

Psalm 66

Previous Post

June 18, 2011

Texas Wildflowers: The Willow City Loop

Next Post

June 20, 2011 How Does God Guide Us?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Advent Calendar Alissa Wilkinson Archeology Art and Faith Ash Wednesday Bible Books Business Business and Faith Christian Year (Liturgical or Church Year) Christmas Christmas according to Dickens Christmas, Culture, and Christ Christmas: Keeping Christmas Well Church and Culture Church and Ministry Church and Technology Church Life Church: What is a Church? Cities Code of Ethics for Pastors Contentment Creativity Cultural Commentary Culture Daily Reflections Dallas Willard Deliberating on Digital Dignity Easter Education Ephesus and the New Testament Ethics Eugene Peterson Evangelical Existential Questions Faith Faith and Work Family Food Friendship Fun Good Reads Gospel Centered Christianity Grace Handel's Messiah Harvard University Health High Calling History Holidays Holy Spirit Holy Week Hospitality How Does God Guide Us? Hunger Games Insights for Leaders - De Pree Center Inspiration from the High Calling Jesus Jesus: Following Him as a Disciple Jesus: Seven Last Words Jesus: Was Jesus Married? Jesus: What Was His Message? Jesus: Why Did He Have to Die? Laity Lodge Leadership Leadership Conversation Lent Les Miserables Life for Leaders Linda's Advent Doodles Linda's Lenten Doodles Living Well Loving Neighbors Max De Pree Center for Leadership Mental Health Mission of God and Missional Church Money Moral Dilemmas Mormonism Movies Nature New York City Pastors and Churches Pentecost Photos to Share Poetry Police Blotter Politics Prayer Preachers Portal Preaching Presbyterian Church Quotations Reading the Times Recommendations Reflecting on Technology Religion and Culture Ruminations Sabbath Science Seven Last Words Sexual Harassment Social Media Something to Think About Spiritual Warfare Sports Stations of the Cross Stephen Hawking: Heaven and Faith Stories Technology and Culture Technology and Education Technology and Mental Health Technology Bits Texas Thanksgiving The High Calling Thin Places Uncategorized Vocation Women Words Work Worship

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 April 2015 March 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 November 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In this Gospel, Jesus' first miracle is not recorded, and the narrative begins with a voice crying in the wilderness. Which Gospel starts with John the Baptist's ministry?

Select your answer to see how you score.

John Matthew Mark Luke