November 22, 2021
Today we are looking at the first 8 of the 11 verses of Psalm 63. The context of this Psalm is that King David is fleeing from his son, Absalom. If you go on to read verses 9 – 11 you will clearly see that David felt that his life was in grave danger, and it would be at the hands of his own son. During this time, David was in the desert of Judah, which was not only a dry and barren place, but it was not David’s home, which was Jerusalem. So, David longs for the presence of God in this physical and spiritual place within his life.
You and I can find ourselves in places like David. Ok…so, maybe we currently do not have a family member seeking to kill us, but each of us have many physical and spiritual moments in the “desert”. There are times when we feel lost and are searching for the Lord. Times when our souls (our minds, wills, and emotions) are so thirsty that all we need is a sip of the refreshing and renewing baptismal water of the Living Christ to follow through and around us. So, how do we get that “water”? Friends, we PRAY, we spend daily time in the WORD, and we begin to cling to the Truth that the Lord will “satisfy me more than the richest” of this world, more than your family, more than your friends, more than time on your electronics, more than your job, more than your favorite hobby, more than anything else that is coming to your mind right now. All you have to do is “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
Pastor Mary shared many sections of the New Testament during Wednesday’s Bible Study, but there were three verses that so beautifully connect to today’s verses within the Old Testament. So, here are those verses so that you can be remind of just how much Jesus wants to care for you before you go into today’s verses:
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Psalm 63 (NLT)
A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah.
1 O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.
Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for being my Home, my safe place to rest, my place to be renewed, my place to be restored. I ask for Your renewing baptismal water to flow through and around me each day, because I am not capable without You. Help me to grow closer to You, Lord. Fill my days with more of You, and less of this world. I ask all of this in Your Precious and Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.
Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant