Isaiah 13:6-13
Psalms 63, 98, and 103
Hebrews 12:18-29
John 3:22-30
“You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.” — Psalm 63:1–2
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.” — Psalm 63:1–2
An
important part of reflecting on Psalm 63 is the fact that it was written while
David was in the Desert of Judah. Deserts
bring to mind harsh conditions, and few inhabitants. They can be lonely and potentially hazardous
places for the ill prepared.
In
addition to being harsh and lonely, the desert or any wilderness is a place
with few of the normal distractions of life.
Without those distractions King David remembers that what he wants more
than anything is to “seek God” and he expresses it beautifully.
I
am often guilty of allowing the distractions of my daily life to cause so much
noise that it would be difficult to hear God even if he were screaming at me.
If
I don’t take some time, at least every now and then, to go to the desert, my
soul is at risk. It is pretty simple really.
No travel agents or special preparations are required. I just have
to walk away from the computer, the TV, the “to-do” list, work projects, and
the many other distractions of my life, and spend some time seeking God. I might spend time in prayer or study or
something else, but the important thing for me is that I am seeking God. This is an ongoing process that reveals not
only glimpses of God, but truths about myself, and leaves me wanting and
needing more. Sometimes it makes me feel
like David did in this Psalm, although I’m not sure I could express it as well.
If
you’re having trouble hearing God over the noise, go to the desert for a while.
Melonye Suarez