Lent Devotion: Saturday Psalm

Today the sun came out.  Along with the sun came a little bit of warmth.  After the chill of winter our souls drink in the promise of spring.  At this point there is a longing in our Spirits for the promise of new life, robin sightings, daffodils in bloom, and green grass.  At this point in Lent I am beginning to long for the joyous celebration of Easter, are you?  

Tonight's Psalm reading is one that speaks of longing.  

42 1-3 A white-tailed deer drinks
    from the creek;
I want to drink God,
    deep draughts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
I wonder, “Will I ever make it—
    arrive and drink in God’s presence?”
I’m on a diet of tears—
    tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long
    people knock at my door,
Pestering,
    “Where is this God of yours?”

4 These are the things I go over and over,
    emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,
    right out in front,
Leading them all,
    eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—
    celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!

5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He’s my God.

6-8 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse
    everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights,
    including Mount Mizar.
Chaos calls to chaos,
    to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers
    crash and crush me.
Then God promises to love me all day,
    sing songs all through the night!
    My life is God’s prayer.

9-10 Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God,
    “Why did you let me down?
Why am I walking around in tears,
    harassed by enemies?”
They’re out for the kill, these
    tormentors with their obscenities,
Taunting day after day,
    “Where is this God of yours?”

11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He’s my God.

Obviously, this is not the traditional version of this Psalm.  This is taken from The Message and offers us a unique perspective on the Psalmist's intention.  It is easy to rest in the darkness of discouragement.  Sometimes feelings of anxiety can seem to swallow us.  Other times we simply long to be in the quiet presence of God - drinking in that soul-quenching living water.

Tonight take a few minutes of silence to just be with God.  For what do you long?  What is it like to sit in the presence of the rock-solid God?  What do you hear?  

Read the Psalm again as a prayer tonight - and may you find that your life is God's prayer.