Psalm 42

Saturday devotions ~ Psalm 42

/ The Pastor

I was driving the kids home last night from a spur of the moment ice cream run. As we left Forest City to head home, my daughter started to complain that she was thirsty. “Then drink some water”, I said. But she did not bring her water bottle as we have instructed our kids over and over. I said, “Well, you are going to have to wait. We’ll be home in about 20 to 25 minutes.” But that was not good enough. More complaining ensued, as one would think she was dying of thirst.

And thirst is something that demands your attention. It is hard to ignore. Try as I may, if I am thirsty while lying in bed at night, I am not going to fall asleep. I must deal with that thirst NOW. The psalmist, in like manner, is panting for the living water that is God. He longs for His Word. He desires, with all His being, to be in the presence of God. He feels separated from God and does not like that separation. Like a parched mouth, the psalmist wants to be refreshed. It feels that if he does not receive those “flowing steams” (vs 1) he will die (which is true) But he still clings to hope…

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. 

In dry moments of your life, instead of wallowing in your dryness, drink in the Word of God. Drink and drink, and be refreshed. Be reminded of God’s promises in Jesus Christ FOR YOU. Read about His victory over Satan, sin and death through Jesus’ death and resurrection FOR YOU. See the many moments of God’s faithfulness, and know that that faithfulness, FOR YOU, will never end. Meditate on the grace and love of God, FOR YOU, and be reminded of when the Holy Spirit first began to flow in and through you. It is a river that is unceasing, never to dry up. Feeling refreshed yet? Then drink this in…

13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
(John 4:13-14).

LET US PRAY: Loving God, I long for refreshment and for my thirsty soul to have more of You. This world has nothing for me that can last, and thus I long to drink Your Word, for only Jesus is Living Water. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Cling to Jesus

/ The Pastor

It’s happened again. An individual has taken the lives of a number of people and has injured more in New York City near the World Trade Center memorial. I don’t have all the details but you can go to the news outlet of your choice and read for yourself.

We are still recovering from the Las Vegas shooting, now this. I just shock my head when I first learned of this and I can’t help but wonder, “Am I safe anywhere“? I can almost hear the cries now:
~ Why God, why?
~ How long, oh Lord?
~ When will this stop?
~ Not again!

Etc, etc, etc…

So many questions. So much anger. So much fear. I get all of that, but remember, no matter the situation; no matter what is going on, God is still God and therefore…

1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
[Psalm 42:1-5]

I will remember in prayer those who have been affected by this violence, but I will not let go of my God. I will not shake my fists at Him. I will not accuse Him of being weak or indifferent. I will worship Him still, for I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, [Job 19:25-26] This violence is not the eternal reality for those who are in Christ. This world is indeed messed up; filled with sin and death, but God has overcome the world through Jesus Christ. Cling to him and be at peace.

Praise be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Pastor -|—

Panting and Longing (Psalm 42:1-2)

/ The Pastor

image

Oh God, this world makes me weary and tired;
physically
emotionally
mentally
spiritually
And when I feel like I am just scraping by I long for something to quench that which is lacking in me.

I long to be satisfied.
I long to be quenched.
I long for You.

But why only then? Why not when I feel full and satisfied and charged? Why not then, oh God, why not then? I loathe the fact that my sinful self leads me to complacency when I feel full.

But then there are times when I am lacking that,
I seek other waters
I seek other streams
I seek other wells
and they fail to do what they promise.

Oh how foolish I am.

But You, oh God, do not fail in what You promise. You are a faithful God. You are a faithful God to give to Your children as they need. When we are lacking, you provide.

May my heart pant for you as a deer pants for flowing streams.
May my heart thirst for You.
May my soul wait for You.
May I live for You.

Oh God, this world makes me weary and tired; through my faith in Jesus Christ, when shall I come and appear before You? When shall I lie down in those green pastures and walk beside those still waters? When shall my soul be restored? When shall my cup runth over and over and over and over…

When shall I dwell in Your house forever and ever.

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so my soul pants for You.

Father God,
sustain this holy longing in me for You;
sustain my thirst for You alone;
sustain my faith and trust in You. Amen.

[pant, pant, pant…]

The Pastor -|—