Psalm 42

I'm sure most Christians have read or heard Psalm 42 whether or not they know it was Psalm 42. It goes something like this:

[b] As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and 6 my God.
My [c] soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

8 By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"

10 My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

What is so interesting about this passage that I'd want to blog about it a 130 Am while suffering from a ridiculously massive headache? It's this, David is in a situation where it looks hopeless, his enemies are laughing at him basically asking him "where's your god now?" They assume their own victory over David and David amazingly enough isn't really paying them a whole lot of attention. He says (this is my paraphrase) God, you are water to me, you are life, and i long for you...I can't make it without you. The picture I have in my head is one of a man who has just made a grueling trek through the desert with no water, and no indication that he'll have any soon. Now picture that man's thirst as he thinks he sees an oasis up ahead. Regardless of his weakness in that moment he will suddenly find renewed strength in the hope of water.

I am certain that this is what God should be for us in times of trouble. Especially with the economy the way that it is, we are facing tough times. And you know what it's not pretty. But God never said it had to look pretty. Rarely does the humbling of one's pride or the total dependence of one person on another look good. It's rather humiliating actually. But really, if you're the one in the desert and you've just spotted your hope for survival are you going to stroll calmly towards that water? Will you take the time to reach for a cup to dip a drink for yourself? Will you drink like a lady or a gentleman, taking care not to spill any of it? Or would your rush to it as fast as you could? Would you dive headlong into that pool of cool clear water and gulp it down as fast as you could, as if it were your very last chance? Would you dunk your whole self in and drink and drink until you felt like you couldn't possibly hold anymore?

I think this is how we should approach God and His presence. Like it's the very air we breathe and like we'll never get enough. I could contemplate this for hours. Do we realize that He loves us this way? That He saw what we had done to ourselves and couldn't live with it, He couldn't bear to not have relationship with His creation and so He sacrificed Himself, His life, His dignity. Amazing!!!!

I can't think of much more to say, even though I feel like I could burst. I only hope that this encourages someone out there who is feeling lost and thirsty. In the words of a spectacular author...Dive Deep!!! (Thanks Ted Dekker)