"The Thirsty Deer" (Part 6)

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. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. (Psalm 42:5-6 NIV).

I want to continue to look carefully at Psalm 42 with you this week. The more I ponder the verses of the psalmist, the more I am convinced it is a very contemporary message. Whatever challenge you face the answer is to be like that Thirsty Deer who will risk anything to get to water as you seek a renewed relationship with your heavenly Father. It is the presence of God through the Holy Spirit that will give you the strength you need to walk through any experience successfully.

I suppose that’s what caught my mind in verse six of our reading today. When the Psalmist wrote this verse we cannot be sure where he was. It is not named or referenced. Even a deeper bit of research cannot lead us clearly to where he at the time of the writing. One thing we can surmise, however, is that he is not at home. This fact is a good indicator of the life the Psalmist is living. He feels that he is far away from help and that life is caving in all around him. Ever felt that way? Have you ever felt that you were all alone in your suffering; like there was no one who could help you with your pain?

When life finds us in desolate situations and places, there should be a deeply implanted reminder in our hearts that God is our source of strength, “an ever present help in time of trouble”. We shouldn’t have to wonder where God is. The reality of His goodness and mercy should permeate our very beings. I realize those words are but good goals when we are struggling through a time of suffering, but still, part of the Christian experience should be a growing recognition of who God is, what God has, can and will do, and then allowing those truths to replace our feelings of doubt. The Psalmist, in the midst of his troubles, reminded himself of God. It was that information that gave him the strength to get through the day.

It is a reminder to us as well. I received one of the most encouraging emails recently. It was from someone I have known for a long time. I was her pastor for twelve years. She recounted the difficult experiences of this past year after reading this series. It was quite a year for her! Yet, she ended the email with the declaration that God had been so faithful to walk with her through it all. She knew that by looking back at the wonderful things God had accomplished for her during those times. They were still very challenging, but He was more than enough to guide and empower her to make it through them. So, here’s my thought for you today: When looking forward is filled with fear and unknowns, try looking back at the victories God has won for you. That won’t change the present experience, but it will change you. And that’s the key to retaining your hope and confidence for the future.