Spiritual Thirst

As we go through life there are many things we go through, there are stresses at work, there are things we worry about that can overwhelm us. Throughout these trials and struggles one thing remains true, that God is in control. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing, it doesn’t matter if you face impossible odds, or walls that seem to be impenetrable. It doesn’t matter if you’re facing a nagging past or an unpleasent present God is in control. It can be hard to remember that God is in control when we watch as things seem to be so chaotic in life at times.

It would be nice to feel God close to us each and every day, to know He was right there walking by our side, and that we weren’t alone. While that is true God is walking by our side we do not walk through this world alone sometimes God just feels distant, we just dont feel His presence as we once did. This is a normal feeling and it is a normal occurence in the life of a Christian, I don’t know why God chooses to help us feel Him near at times and then at other times feel so far away but one thing I do know we would not appreciate His presence nearly as much if we did not go through times of Spiritual dryness. Spiritual dryness feels sort of hollow, you may feel as though your doing everything right, your serving, praying, giving and seeking but there just seems to be something missing.

Often times we can go through these desert times in our soul where we just feel parched on the inside, we need refreshing and so we go to things like retreats which are necessary and Biblical trying to get refocused and seeking that refreshment of the soul that we all so desperately desire. So what do you do when you feel far from God? Well I can assure you that many, many Godly people have felt this way, they wanted so desperately to feel Him, but for one reason or another they simply do not. This can happen for a number of reasons, perhaps there is sin in a persons life that is hindering the intamacy God wants to have with them....

Or perhaps there is some sort of hard heartedness that has crept into the persons heart that will not allow the overwhelming love of God to flow in. Or maybe just like the sons of Korah things have just become bad in your life and you are desperate to feel God, these men are speaking of a time when they were longing for the Lord with thier whole heart and they are wrestling because they do not feel Him near.

The Writers Desire:

Psalm 42:1

Psalm 42:1–2 NKJV

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

records a cry for help, and it paints a picture of this cry for help as one who thirsts after God.

(Chandler)

They describe their desire right here in (1) as a deer pants for water brooks so my soul pants after you O God, There is one thing that is certain when you go hunting deer need water, they can always be found at different times of the day near watering holes throughout the forest. They need water, to survive to be able to stay healthy, to be able to thrive and in the same way that deer NEEd water in order to make it, the writer is showing us here that a child of God if he or she is going to be able to make it in this life must have God. That God is the life source for the child of God especially in times of stress or distress.

You know we have lost the power of words in our society, words used to mean something but nowadays they really dont mean what they used to. For example love, the world has no clue what love is, the word used to be used carefully with the other person in mind but now it is used for everything. People love the Cowboys, they love the Crimson Tide, they love Taco Bell, whatever the case may be we throw that word around and it just doesnt mean the same thing anymore which is why you see so many divorces today, people have lost the power of the word love.

There are many others words that have lost thier power but for the sake of time Im going to jump right into the point of this first verse HE SAYS HE NEEDS GOD. HE says as the deer “pants for the flowing streams” That word to pant means to long for or to crave… While we have many things we crave today I wonder how many people genuinely truly from the bottom of thier heart come into a church service craving God?

I wonder how many people throughout the week CRAVE GOD?

I wonder if we were honest when we wake in the morning is the first thing in our mind that we just have to get in God’s word because we desire Him in our lives so much?

You see a deer pants after flowing streams because by default he knows within his ability to find a water source lies his ability to live or die. IF he doesn’t find that water he is dead, this is the type of longing the writer expresses he has for God. The deer pants for the water because he is tired, worn out, and in need of refreshing. What a beautiful picture of truth the deer is, he runs to water to find life, he runs to the water to quench his deepest needs, he runs to the water for refreshment. Church this is the picture of what we should do when darkness tries to hide His face! Many things will cause us to lose our joy in this life, but only One can restore and give pure joy and it is our Lord God above.

Are you thirsty for God?

When you hear this text do you think about your life and say oh how badly do I need a refreshing encounter with the Lord?

Notice his distinction here: “My soul thirst for God, the living God.” he doesnt want a form of God he doesn’t want a truth about God he hungers and thirst for an encounter with the God who lives and there is only one God who live and He is the God of Abraham and Isaac the God of Jacob, He is the God of Moses and Elijah and the good news is the true and living God is the God of Kyle, the God of Adam, the God of Amy, Jan and Diane. We all serve the same God as these great heroes of the Bible we serve the living God, the God who still speaks the God who still acts, the God who sees you in your circumstances wherever that maybe.

This Psalm was written to teach us that there is hope for the hurting heart and there is refreshment available for the weary soul.

The Writers Dilemma

Psalm 3–4 ESV

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 3

Psalm 42:3–4 ESV

My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

Psalm 42:

“My tears have been my food day and night” this is a person who is weeping continually always in a state of sorrow some people have said that this was written by David as he fled from absalom and that the sons of Korah were simply the ones who performed this psalm in the Temple. I mean we could imagine this could be true couldnt we if your own son was trying to murder you so he could have your throne?

I know my tears would be constantly flowing from my eyes if one of my children were to do this to me… but it doesnt really matter why the man is weeping all we know is he feels alone, and broken, and he feels as if God has abandoned him. He was obviously known in the community as a Christian because now that this mans life has been flipped upside down the crowds begin mocking him.

“WHERE IS YOU GOD?”

It is not only what these people are saying to him that breaks him it is who is saying these things to him in his time of need....

He remembers a time when he used to go to church, they would all go in a procession to the house of God.

Where there was joy and shouts of praise

He and the people of God would walk all together down to the Temple to worship and it was beautiful things were great, let’s put this in todays terms, I remember a time when I used to be faithful in church I enjoyed going I had friends and family that went with me as well but now I cant feel God and since I cant feel Him then He must not be there, he says I am hurting and I miss those days when I used to be able to go down to the house of God and just worship Him. But now something is different, it just isnt like it used to be.

Right here in the midst of his deepest need you can almost hear the Holy Spirit trying to refocus His mind:

Psalm 42:5

Psalm 42:5 ESV

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation

HE begins to talk to his own soul saying there is no reason for you to be cast down soul just WAIT ON GOD!

that’s what the word hope means “to wait on”

You see the child of God can wait on the timing of God because He or she knows the character of God.

The child of God can wait with expectation on the timing of God because he or she knows the character of God! Therefore dont be cast down soul dont be weary and stressed dont thinkg God has abandoned you or forgot about you just wait with expectation for His presence to return and with His presence comes his joy!

The Writers Prayer

Psalm 42:6–7 ESV

and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.

Psalm 42:6-

The writer knows that it is God who has sent these stormy billows over Him.

God allows times of thirsting so that we cn enjoy being quenched!

You don’t truly appreciate liquid unless you are thirsty, unless you have experienced true thirst.

(explain)

Psalm 42:8 ESV

By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 42:9-

Psalm 42:9–11 ESV

I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.