Longing After God
(NIV) Psalm 42,
1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When praise and worship music burst upon the scene, this was one of the first songs I heard. Both the lyrics and the music went straight to my heart then, and it still does.
This psalm, attributed to the Sons of Korah, speaks to the deep longing of a personal fellowship with God. The author has been separated from God, and his desperation is palpable.
Have you ever felt separated from the very presence of God? I know that some people believe God is no longer hearing or answering their prayers. But, what if His answer is not “yes” or “no,” but “later?”
May we each make the choice to remain in God’s presence, regardless of how hectic our lives become and whether or not we feel Him.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
The Righteousness of Jesus
(NIV) Is 61:10 I delight greatly in the LORD;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
It occurs to me, as we witness increased strife and discontent around the world, that we must be intentional in keeping our hearts pure. But how is that accomplished?
I think of clothing myself in the righteousness found only in Jesus. Isaiah speaks of garments of salvation, so I declare in the morning I am putting on the cloak of righteousness. What does that do?
It reminds me that my right standing before God is nothing I can attain alone, but comes only because of Jesus. And I delight in knowing that He is ever faithful, ever true, and that He cares for me. For me!
I don’t understand it, I can’t explain it. But praise God, I know it is true.
May we start each day acknowledging Jesus as our Savior, our Lord, and our righteousness.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A Song of Praise, Hallelujah!
(NKJV) Ps 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
“He brought be out of the deep miry clay,
He set my feet on the solid rock to stay,
He put a song in my happy soul today
A song of praise hallelujah.”
I remember singing this hymn as a child, long before I knew what the lyrics meant.
David has written frequently of waiting on God, but there were times when God was not quick to answer. This time, however, in David’s thinking, God either bent down so that He could hear David’s cries, or at least turned His ear toward him and rescued him!
When I was a little girl, Tarzan movies were on TV every Saturday. During each movie, someone was trapped in quicksand.
I think the allure of sin is very much like quicksand. It may seem as though we can dabble in sin, but without warning find ourselves encased in something that serves only to draw us down to it’s very depths.
You see, on the surface the quicksand appeared to be solid, but it was only after taking that first step that it proved to be deadly. Just like quicksand, the bog of sin will drag us down unless we stay on firm footing with God.
Once we are pulled from the depths of sin, God gives us a new song, and we automatically respond with “hallelujah.”
May we sing the new song of redemption today, remembering all God has done for us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
A Song of Praise, Hallelujah!
(NKJV) Ps 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
“He brought be out of the deep miry clay,
He put a song in my happy soul today
A song of praise hallelujah.”
I remember singing this hymn as a child, long before I knew what the lyrics meant.
David had written frequently of waiting on God, but there were times when God was not quick to answer. This time, however, God bent down so that He could hear David’s cries, He answered and rescued Him!
When I was a little girl, Tarzan movies were on TV every Saturday. During each movie, someone was trapped in quicksand.
I would imagine miry clay is very much like quicksand. You are walking along but suddenly find yourself encased in a substance that serves only to draw you down to it’s very depths.
But in this case, the thing that trapped David was sin. And, just like quicksand, the bog of sin will drag us down unless we stay on firm footing with God.
Once we are pulled from the depths of sin, God gives us a new song, and we automatically respond with “hallelujah.”
May each of us be adept at sidestepping the bog of sin as we travel down this mortal highway.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
God, Our Very Present Help in Times of Need
(NKJV) Ps 61:1 Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
Selah
I am so thankful that David penned so many prayers for deliverance. His life was clearly not simple, nor was it without trouble. Yet, he discovered early on that rather than rely on his own strength, his help was found in God.
The imagery in this Psalm, that of David being far away and seeking refuge, is powerful. David recognizes he cannot rely on his own strength and resources. Whether the rock he mentions is God, or a literal place where he can find protection and be positioned to see the enemy as he approaches, David knows from experience he can trust in God his father to keep him safe.
While we do not have to worry about being in physical battles like David experienced, many of us have ongoing struggles that would prevent us from living a life of purpose and joy. Whether we are facing health problems, are in a contentious relationship, or dealing with any myriad of life’s challenges, we need to follow David’s example and turn to God early and often.
May we know, believe and understand that God is greater than our difficulties and He cares for us.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 