Most of us pray safe prayers, “Lord help me, bless me, provide for me, care for me.” But when we understand that God knows our every fear and frustration, motive and movement, we not only grasp the vastness of His heart for us, but we also begin to fully comprehend the depths of our need for Him. Only then do our prayers move from the safety of “Help me”, to the life-changing prayers of “search me and change me.” ~ Pastor Dave
Open: Have you ever done anything dangerous? Share your story. How does reward encourage the risk of danger?
Read: Psalm 139; Jeremiah 17; Hebrews 4:14-5:10; 1 John 1:1-10
Discuss:
1. What would you consider “safe” prayers? Have you ever prayed “safe” prayers? What keeps us from praying bold, faith-filled prayers? Describe the context of Psalm 139. Who is David and what are some of the things that David accomplished in his life?
2. Psalm 139 is filled with deep theological truths. In the opening six verses of Psalm 139, there are eight different Hebrew words that tell us about what God does. As you read through Psalm 139, what attributes of God’s character stands out to you? How does each of these observations demonstrate God’s knowledge of you personally? How does it make you feel to know that God knows everything about you and is present at all times in your life?
3. In Psalm 139:19-22, David turns from focusing on God’s character to asking God to slay the wicked around him. What is an imprecatory Psalm? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like God needed to do more?
4. This Psalm ends in a way you wouldn’t expect. David makes a sudden shift from focusing on his enemies to focusing on himself. In what ways is our greatest threat not what happening “out there” but what’s happening “in here” (our hearts)? In what ways are our hearts deceitful?
5. What fearful thoughts and sinful tendencies currently overwhelm your mind and occupy your activity? How does surrendering our thoughts, even hidden thoughts, and confessing our sins, even our hidden sins, help us live righteously and eternally focused? How would this type of prayer change the way we view and live in our culture? If Christians prayed this way, what impact would it make in our church and community?
Pray: Ask God to search you, reveal your fears, and uncover your sins. Pray that you would see that your greatest threat is not what is happening “out there” but what is happening “in you.” Pray that you would have the courage to take the step that God is asking you to take right now.
Memorize/Meditate: Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24
