October 2022
Nougat 6
Sometimes we find ourselves seeking a Word in the Word that adequately captures our human experiences. Today’s Holy Nougat
“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.” Psalms 63:1, 6-7 NLT
Now this is desperate pursuit!
Throughout the psalm, the psalmist pours out in desperation to God. We can hear, see and taste the need for God’s intervention as though it was our own. And, for some of us – it is our own need that the psalmist articulates.
Beginning with a bone deep yearning that is likened unto thirst, some scholars suggest that this may be a lament psalm. And, laments are believed to comprise the bulk of the poetry captured in the psalter; which reminds us that God is as equally concerned about our cares and frustration as God is about our joy and praise. Seeking God can stem from either. And, with the psalms often being communal in their recitation, we recognize that our desperation may result from our own lives, or intercession for others.
Although there are instances (such as Naomi’s lament in the book of Ruth), where the one in distress does not speak to God; the psalms as well as the book of Lamentations keep it real, acknowledging God as the One Who has the power to effect transformation. In this context, the need for intervention is as serious as thirst in the wilderness. It is also such that the psalmist is sleep-deprived. Have you ever been there? What would drive us to such levels of desperation and when that happens now, is God, our God the One to Whom we turn?
Given the nature of the world news headlines or your own experiences, what would your plea to God be?
Perhaps we can spend some time being up front with God about something for which we desire divine intervention.
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May all we seek be found in Christ