Do You Need a Slap in the Face?

Why are you downcast , O my soul?
   Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
   for I will yet praise him,
   my Savior and my God.
Psalm 43:5

One of my best friends used to think that everyone else in church was always living in perfect peace and happiness. From his perspective when people said they were OK he thought they meant they weren't having any trials and God was speaking to them every moment of every day. It took him awhile to learn that everyone else at church had their struggles too. 

That is why I love David. David sought God from the middle of his struggles. I mean here he is, feeling attacked and it sounds like depressed. He asks God to vindicate and rescue him. 

He looks to the truth about God then asks why it does not match up with what is happening in his life. He knows God is his stronghold but he feels rejected by God. Then he asks God to get him out. He asks God to take him to the place where God dwells. 

This reminds me of once when my wife was in the hospital. I was very concerned because I didn't know what God was doing. My pastor came by and sort of slapped me in the face and told me I needed to get it together and that my wife needed to know that I knew God was in control and God would take care of her. I didn't need to know that he had been through something like I was going through. I needed to put my hope in God, knowing that I would yet praise him, my Savior and my God. That is sort of what I see David doing to himself. He is praying and encouraging himself to believe in God because God is his Savior and he will yet praise him.

God is your stronghold. God is your hope. God is your Savior. He will send forth his light and his truth and they will guide you to his holy mountain. You will praise him! 

Do You Need Some Joy?

Then will I go to the altar of God,
   to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
   O God, my God.
Psalm 43:4

Once again David doesn't allow himself to be stuck in his emotions. He is obviously feeling depressed. But he knows that his joy and his delight is going to be found in God. 

I don't think David is trying to make a deal with God. He's not saying that if God rescues him then he will praise him. David is asking God to bring him to the place where God dwells, believing that God will, and when he gets there he will praise God for bringing him there!

What battle are you in? Where do you need his light and truth to shine? 

Father, send us your light and truth to lead us and bring us to your holy mountain. We put our hope in you believing we will yet praise you for your deliverance. 

TROUBLE? GOD IS PRESENT/ Psalm 46:1-3

"God is our refuge and strength,
     and ever-present help in trouble.
 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
  and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
 though its waters roar and foam
     and the mountains quake with their surging." 
 Psalm 46:1-3

What's your trouble? God is present. Is the earth giving way? Are the mountains falling into the depth of the sea? Is your life falling apart all around you? God is "ever-present". 

As much as I don't like to be in the midst of chaos and a life crisis, I have know the presence of God there. Sometimes after everything is stripped away, only God remains. In the silence. In the aloneness. Only God remains...

Father, help us to see you and hear you when things seem to fall apart all around us. Praise be to you in us today!