Psalm 42:2-6
As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I enter and see the face of God? My tears have been my bread day and night, as they ask me every day, “Where is your God?” Those times I recall as I pour out my soul, When I would cross over to the shrine of the Mighty One, to the house of God, Amid loud cries of thanksgiving, with the multitude keeping festival. Why are you downcast, my soul; why do you groan within me? Wait for God, for I shall again praise him, my savior and my God.
Grace Prayed For: How Do I Respond to the Call of the Lord?
The psalmist’s words drip with a yearning so deep, it aches in the soul like the parched earth craves a downpour. It’s a longing not just of the mind, but of the very essence, a spiritual thirst that burns with a sensual intensity.
We see this in the image of the deer, panting, desperate for the cool kiss of water on a cracked tongue. The soul, too, yearns for that life-giving touch of the divine. It’s a primal need, a lover seeking reunion, a wanderer lost in the desert, finally glimpsing the oasis.
The psalmist’s tears, the “bread” of sorrow, are a testament to the depth of this longing. Each tear, a glistening pearl of unanswered prayers and a heart heavy with unanswered questions. “When can I enter and see the face of God?” The question hangs heavy, a whispered plea in the quiet of night.
But amidst the despair, a flicker of memory. The “shrine of the Mighty One,” a place of past connection, a recollection of joyous celebration “amid loud cries of thanksgiving.” It’s a memory that both comforts and intensifies the present ache. Like a lover remembering stolen moments of passion, the psalmist yearns to return to that state of ecstatic union.
Yet, doubt creeps in. “Why are you downcast, my soul?” The internal struggle is palpable. The yearning for the divine clashes with the harsh reality of separation. Still, a sliver of hope remains. “Wait for God,” the psalmist whispers, a promise to themself, a lifeline cast into the storm.
This passage is a beautiful dance between despair and hope, lament and anticipation. It’s a testament to the raw, sensual nature of the human connection with the divine, a yearning that transcends words, a thirst that only the living water of God can quench.
Today’s Challenge: Do I Listen for God’s Call to Me? What will I do today to take his message to those I interact with today?
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post