Crying Out in the Desert

First of all, let me apologize for not posting anything last week. My family and I went to Florida and we did not have Internet access in our room. I am so sorry and promise to do better in the future! Thank you for your e-mails of concern! I am fine and I actually have a tan! With that said, let's get back to the Word!

Psalm 63

Have you ever been in a spiritual desert? Have their been times in your walk with God that you just did not "feel" His presence like you used to? While David wrote this Psalm while in a literal desert, we can apply almost every line to our spiritual lives.

How do you know you are in a desert? Well, David knew because he had "seen" God in the sanctuary and beheld His power and His glory. You see, once we have experienced God and felt His presence, to not be in His presence leaves a deep, deep longing. Our souls literally "thirst", our bodies literally "long" for God. Sometimes we will not even know what it is we are so thirsty for. We try to fill ourselves up with everything the world has to offer, but they just will not satisfy.

Summer is extremely hot in Alabama where I live. I mean lately it has been sweltering! I always look forward to the summer because of vacation, free time, lack of a schedule, etc. But, it almost always leaves me wanting something more. The lack of structure sometimes causes me to be undisciplined in my walk with Christ. I would like to think this is just a "me" problem, but unfortunately we can look at church attendance during the summer and know that it is not. We almost all do better with a little structure.

So how do we get out of the desert? David begins by praising God, lifting up his hands, and singing. He thinks of God during the night because he knows that just as the morning will come, so will his deliverance. His soul clings to the Lord, knowing that God is upholding him with his right hand.

This is exactly what we must do. We must praise God in the desert. Lift up our hands to him for deliverance. Cling to the Lord with all of our might and trust that God will uphold us. We must stay in His Word daily, because once you have tasted it there is no turning back. Nothing else will satisfy, so why even try! (See Isaiah 55:2)

As these hot days drag on, let's encourage one another to stay out of the desert. Let's keep meeting at the table together and be "satisfied as with the richest of foods".