Psalm 63:1 (NASB) 1
This week for some odd reason I was reminded of sitting in the parking lot of a music store in Marietta, Ga. many years ago. As the picture rolled across my mind, I could see my dear friend Pastor Doug in the passenger seat as we waited for Adrian and Bubba, our kids, to finish their trumpet lessons. They took lessons back to back so we spent a couple of hours once a week, every week, in that parking lot talking about all sorts of stuff. The conversation would invariably center around God, church, the kids, what did the Bible have to say about it and whatnot. Over the years we have spent countless hours in cars, over the phone, etc., talking about those subjects. Well anyway this week as I had that picture in my mind a phrase came across my mind. It was something that Doug and I spoke about over and over. We would and have prayed countless times over our children and loved ones that one phrase. We would proclaim and pray that our kids would find God for themselves. We would remind those kids (and God sometimes, smile) that they could not rely on their parents' God or their friends' God. That just because their lives were surrounded by parents, friends, church people who had found God, that would not work for them. They had to find God for themselves. Mama and Daddy or the preacher would not be around forever to help them in time of need. Then, they would have to know God for themselves. Pastor Doug's God won't be around to help me. See that's what the Psalmist David is saying in those verses.
"O God, You are my God;....." David wrote this when he was in the wilderness, possibly, when fleeing from Saul. You see Jesse, David's father wasn't with him in this trying time. Jonathan, his best friend, was of no comfort to him. He was alone and he was in the wilderness. Have you ever been there? He HAD to find God for himself. His father's or his friend's God had to become HIS GOD, for there was no one else to help him. And what do the scriptures say about David and what he did? Look at the above verse. "...I shall seekYou earnestly.." Look a little further down.
Psalm 63:6 (NASB) 6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches,
"..I meditate on You in the night watches,..." That word meditate means to ponder, to groan, to muse about or to speak about. Look at another Psalm.
Psalm 42:1-2 (NASB) 1
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?
Have you ever been thirsty? I mean really thirsty? I can remember only one time in my entire life being really thirsty. It was when I was 12 years old and our Little League team had been playing a couple of practice games. It was in the middle of summer and we had been at it all day. We didn't know or care about hydration in those days, we just wanted to play ball until we dropped. I remember riding back from that game that day and man I was toasted. I mean my throat felt like I had poured a glass of sawdust down it. For some reason, unknown to me and my teammates, the coaches would not stop at a gas station (no convenience stores in those days lol) to get a Coke. I mean me and my buddies were howling from the back of the station wagon to stop, please we are dying back here!But alas on this sweltering day, to no avail. I was in panic mode. All I could think about was a glass of water to wet and cool my dry throat. NOTHING ELSE MATTERED. When I finally got home, I RAN to the kitchen sink and without stopping to get a glass, I turned the faucet on full blast and drank until I was swishing on the inside. You know what I'm talking about don't you? Swishing? All the while listening to mother scold me for putting my mouth on the faucet, risking the deadly germs to be found there. But, at that point in time I didn't care. I WAS THIRSTY!! You feelin' me here? That's what David is talking about here.
You see in that verse above David is asking God when he can get alone with Him. He's thirsty. He can't wait any longer. "When shall I come and appear before God?" And that is the secret. Until I decide to appear before God. Until I make room for Him in my life. Until I begin to earnestly seek for Him and enquire of Him, He will continue to be someone else's rock, but not MY rock. He will continue to be another's strong tower, not MY strong tower. I have to find Him for myself. Pastor Doug's God just won't do. He must become MY God.
Psalm 1:1-2 (NASB) 1
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
God Bless
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