Thursday, July 16, 2020

Manna for Today: Psalm 42


Psalm 42:1-11

Key Verses: 42:3, 5

“Day and night my tears are my only food, as everyone keeps asking, ‘Where is your God?’ Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless? I trust you! And I will praise you again because you help me, and you are my God.” CEV

 

“Where is your God?” When bad things happen to undeserving people this is the question on the lips of so many? Where is God now? Where is God in this? Where is your God when children are harmed behind closed doors? Where is God when people are gunned down in the streets by the very people who have sworn to protect and serve? Where is God when thousands die in a natural disaster or in this pandemic? Where is God right now, when I am in pain, when I am hurting? Where is God.

And even the most faithful, even those of us who trust God easily and freely find ourselves in a place where we too begin to wonder, “Where is God right now? “Why can I not seem to find God?” When we find this to be the way of it in our lives, we can know we are not alone. The Psalmist is sure, is positive that God is there. God is our strength, our shield our protector in the midst of it all. But, even still the Psalmist is discouraged, the Psalmist also wonders where is God in the midst of hardship and pain. The Psalmist can’t seem to find God in the middle of it all.

As you read through the Psalmist first tries to remember when leading other to worship God. Going into God’s house, listening to the songs of praise, participating in worship fully and completely. But right now discouragement surrounds and finding God in the middle of it all is hard. The Psalmist asks, “Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless? I trust you!” Sometime in the middle of it all we know we trust God, we know God is good, we remember what it was like to fully participate, with all that we are in worship, in song, in praise. But right now, it is seems far away. Trust is just beyond our finger tips. It is right there, we can almost touch it, we can almost grasp it, we can almost get it back. But right now all we can do is remember, assure ourselves in that God has always been there, and God will continue to be there. Even now, even in the middle of whatever you are going through; even when you cannot see God, or feel God. God is there, even when you are restless and discouraged. Even when you find it hard to trust or have faith. God is still there in the middle of your distrust, in the middle of your lack of faith, your discouragement, your restlessness. God is there. Hang on. Read this Psalm over again and Hang on.

 

Thing to Think on

What does it mean to you, for you to thirst for God?

Another version says, “my whole being craves you, God” What does it mean for your whole being to crave God?

Have you ever wanted God that much? Have you ever felt so far from God, or felt God was so far from you that longed for God’s presence?

Are there times when it is hard for you to trust God?

Does it give you some comfort; peace of mind to know that you are not alone in this? That Psalmist also felt far from God, felt discouraged, felt that God was far away and could not be found?

 

 

A Prayer for Today

Oh God! I feel so far from you. I look everywhere. I read my Bible. I pray. But all I see are words on a page. All my prayers hit the ceiling and fall down, gathering at my feet, unheard, unanswered. I am desperate. I am alone. Where are you? How can I find you? Do you even hear me? I know you are there. You are always there. I am not alone. I am sure of this. Help me to find my way. Give me your strength. Help me to see you. – Amen


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