LONGING FOR THE Lord

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God? …

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me;

therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan,

the heights of Hermon — from Mount Mizar …

By day the Lord directs his love,

at night his song is with me —

a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 42:1 - 2, 5 - 6, 8

When have you felt like God was far away? For the psalmist, being surrounded by his taunting enemies made him feel distant from God. His enemies expressed what the psalmist only dared to think: “Where is your God?” (42:3). Their taunts only made him yearn for God even more. It was as if he were spiritually parched, awaiting a refreshing drink of water. In this prayer, the psalmist freely admitted to God that he was discouraged. But he didn’t let his discouragement be the final word. He refused to focus on the sarcasm of his enemies and instead began counting the ways God had poured out his unfailing love on him. In the end, he learned to praise the Lord with songs and prayers for God was the one who was graciously sustaining his life.

Does God feel far away? Express your desires to God. Then, start recounting the ways God has provided for you.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, I thirst for you. Though I am discouraged, I will put my hope in you …