Soul Thirst

April 8

Deuteronomy 13-14

Psalm 42

Proverbs 10:22-24

Luke 8:19-39

Soul Thirst

“As the deer pants for water brooks, so my soul thirsts for God, for the living God…Why are you in despair, O my soul?  Wait for God, for I shall still praise Him, for the salvation of His presence.”  Psalm 42:1-2, 5 LSB

Psalm 42 is attributed to the sons of Korah.  Korah was a descendant of Levi who participated in a rebellion against Moses in Numbers 16.  God judged Korah for his sin, killing him and many of his family members.  However, some of Korah’s descendants later became gatekeepers and musicians in God’s sanctuary.  The sons of Korah wrote 11 of the Psalms.  It was written during a time of persecution and exile, perhaps when they were cut off from the ability to worship in the Tabernacle.  The Psalm expresses that he missed and longed to be with God’s people in a place of worship, but even more pronounced is his desire for the intimacy of God’s personal presence.  During the season of Covid, I was very grateful that technology allowed us the ability to worship online.  My church has an online service each week so it was not difficult during this time to switch to watching online.  My 2 daughters and son-in-law met Brian and I each week to worship together. This was fine for a while, but it was definitely not the same as going to church.  After several months of this, I remember how I longed desperately for worshipping in God’s house.  The first Sunday back together was like nourishment for my soul.  When you are online you get the same sermon and hear the same songs, but when you are in the church together with other believers, the presence of the Lord fills the room and something happens that is not possible watching TV.  There is power and meaning and purpose in corporate worship. 

During that time, I thought of this passage often and for the first time I really understood what it meant.  I longed to be with other believers worshipping our Savior.  And then when they desire was fulfilled, it felt like a cold bottle of water quenching my thirst on a hot day.  It is interesting to me that it isn’t just about the people I am worshipping with.  Of course, I love worshipping in my home church with the people who know and love me.  But I have had the privilege of attending many worship services in many different settings over the years and I have experienced God’s presence during worship in settings where I did not know another person in the room.  There is a common bond that is present when the Lord is in our midst that words can’t fully describe.  Our souls need worship.  If you are not a part of a church where God’s Word is faithfully taught and you do not feel the presence of God during worship, do whatever you have to do to find one.