Scripture: If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have dwelt in the land of silence. When I thought, "My foot slips," thy steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. Psalm 94:17-18

Prayer: Let me reflect upon that big if—if the Lord had not been my help. . .

Response: Spend just a moment on what it means to you to dwell in the land of silence. Might it not be like living in a community and not being able to express oneself aloud or in prayer, walking about and not being noticed as if you did not exist, not sharing an intimacy with a loved one, not experiencing that idle thought forming into a dream or aspiration, unable or unwilling to show compassion or to receive the same?

But, as you surmise, you do not live in a land of silence and it's not something of your doing. The Lord is with you—inspiring you, encouraging you, healing you, supporting you, listening to your pleas—even those that remain unspoken. He is the One who rallies your spirits with those coincidences that rebound in your life in the people who cross your path with messages for you that they might not fully understand, but offer new beginnings, opportunities, and challenges that serve to transform you, embolden you to stride forth on a path before which you hesitated.

Wouldn't it be a blessing to appreciate that you do not dwell in a land of silence? Well, you receive this blessing daily, perhaps in the form of an inspiration that catches you on a windy, cloudy day, or in the encouraging glance or touch from a loved one near, far distant, young, old, vibrant, weary. So the question for you is, how do you demonstrate that indeed you do not live in the land of silence, but in the presence of the Lord who holds you up in all circumstances? And, how do you show your appreciation?