Skip to main content

In A Dry And Parched Land

               You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1)

                And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

                Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  (Romans 5:3-4) 

                You might not be as eloquent as David. I know I’m not. But when does this verse describe you? Is it when you’re lonely? Bored? Feeling out of control? Overwhelmed? Angry? All of the preceding? Something else? The next time you feel longing for God, consider the reason. See if you can establish a pattern. Then, when you feel that emotion, you can take it to God, not only expressing your longing for Him, but taking the reason for it with you.

Another benefit is that you can become familiar with it, know that it’s not the end of the world, and even come to recognize it as a friend that lures you toward God. You can say, “Hello, Disappointment (or whatever), let’s seek God.” Then, “Father, where are you? Disappointment and I need to talk to You.” I’m not suggesting this will magically make Disappointment disappear. But it may ease Disappointment's hold, and it may make Disappointment a friend who travels with you.

If you haven’t read Hind’s Feet On High Places, this is one of the themes. I don’t agree with all the theology in the story, but in it, Sorrow and Suffering travel with Much Afraid, and (spoiler alert) together, all three are transformed. This fits with Romans 8:28 and Romans 5:3-4, quoted above.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more