Hope In A Dry Place
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you—even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?” Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! Psalm 42:1-11 (New Living Translation, NLT)
At times we find ourselves in a dry place where we cry out for the living God- for only God will satisfy our deep thirst. We may remember how we used to go to God’s house and celebrate and worship with other believers. Yet, we now feel alone and discouraged. Current lonely experiences can make our hearts sad, but there is always hope in God because He said He will always be with us. This leads us to praise God for we know that God as Savior will save us right where we are.
Although we may be discouraged by what we face, God shows us His unfailing love, and each night we can sing His songs as we pray to the God who gives life to us. We can encourage ourselves in His faithfulness. Even when others mock and question our faith, we can be unmoved.
We may feel forgotten by God, but God never forgets us. We may feel discouraged and sad, but this is when we put our hope in God, standing in confident expectation that God will turn things around and make it like it was before when we praised Him among the believers. Hope helps us to praise God again, knowing that Jesus is- and always will be- our Savior and Lord.
In the midst of a dry place, we can find hope and stay encouraged that God is faithful to His Word and will always love and care for us. The Lord is ever near, no matter how far He may seem to be.
