And now . . . drum roll, please . . . the conclusion of Psalm 42! 

 

We left David yesterday hoping in God (v5), but you will notice that in the very next verse he dips back into despair.  WHAT???  Despair, again?  But this time, he reels it in pretty quickly.  Once again, he REMEMBERS who God is and what He has done in the past. 

 

He remembers God from the land of the Jordan, the peaks of Hermon and from Mount Mizar.  This is so very, very cool!!!  Let me break it down for you the way the Lord broke it down for me.  The conquest of the entire land of the Jordan (the Promised Land) was a HUGE victory; the victory on Mt. Hermon was an incredibly significant success but Mt. Mizar . . . what in the world is that?  It is so insignificant that even Bible scholars don't know much about it.  You know what that says to me?  That says that God is all over my life!  He's all over yours, too!!  He's there in the land-of-Jordan situations as well as those that are so unique to you that no one else would even notice!  He is intimately acquainted with ALL of our ways and nothing escapes His notice.  From the gigantic trials to the tiniest everyday battles, God is there.  He is on the throne regardless of our mental state!  Whoo-hoo!!!  Hallelujah!  I'm getting a little Baptacosta here, folks!  J  Nothing - let me repeat that - NOTHING escapes His notice.  Your highs and lows are not too much for Him to handle. 

 

I would like to say "The End" here but the truth is that it's not the end; there is more despair in this picture.  David feels like he is drowning and even implies that it's God who is rolling the waves over on him.  Have you ever blamed God or been angry with Him?  That's a common response to pain and grief but it is a dangerous place to stay.  Oh, His shoulders are definitely broad enough for you to tell Him how you feel but you are not designed to carry that kind of emotion.  You will become bitter, resentful and even blind to God's goodness.  Thankfully, David chose again to REMEMBER God's lovingkindness.  He calls God his 'Rock' but then asks why God has forgotten him.   Can you keep us with this roller coaster? 

 

Before we see him pop his little head back to the top of the water, God gives us some powerful insight as to what's going on.  Check out these phrases in verses 9 - 10:  'because of the oppression of the enemy,' 'my adversaries revile me,' and once again they pose the question:  'Where is your God?'  .

 

Do you see it?  The oppression (affliction, distress, pressure) of the enemy can steal our hope, our joy, and even our very life but we can and must choose to REMEMBER who God is and what He has done.  We must live on the oasis of truth.   

 

How I pray that this fresh bread will help you walk in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ Jesus!

Yesterday we left the writer of Psalm 42 remembering a time when he worshipped God and no doubt, felt closeness to the Lord.  Today, we'll see he feels miles away once again.  Why is it that one moment we can be on a mountaintop and in less time than it takes to tumble down a hill, we've managed to make it all the way to the depths of the valley?   Well, beloved, we live behind enemy lines. 

 

David has moved from remembering a time of joy and gladness (v.4) to being in the throes of despair.  He even says, "My soul, why have you become disturbed within me?"  That word disturbed is interesting.  It encompasses everything from being slightly troubled to totally enraged.  The word picture here is of a soul that is disquieted, murmuring, growling, and tumultuous.  It's anxious, clamorous and just plain noisy!  Have you ever experienced any of those emotions?  Oh . . . I know YOU haven't, but perhaps you know someone who has. J

 

Would you indulge me for a moment?  Do these descriptions sound like any symptoms that often get labeled "depression," "anxiety," and even "bi-polar"?  I am not saying that there is not value in medical treatments but I am definitely suggesting that we must evaluate our circumstances and responses in light of God's Word and in light of the fact that we have an enemy who lives to deceive us and cause us to question God's goodness.  Could it be that much of the anxiety and depression in our society is the oppression of the enemy and the consequences of sin?  The enemy was certainly provoking David; wouldn't he do the same to us? 

 

There is a temptation to run to the closest pharmacy instead of falling on our face and seeking the presence of God.    Our pain becomes our pillow and we cuddle up in the duvet of deception.  Oh, dear Sister, it is time to realize that we fight from victory, not for victory . . . Jesus won the victory over darkness and has given us everything we need for life and godly living.  We must appropriate His truth and live it out . . . first in our attitudes and then in our actions. 

 

Hope . . . hope in God . . . what a powerful force.  Can't you see David reaching down into the depths of his mind and heart and once again remembering where his hope lies!  He's approaching the mountaintop again . . . the second part of verse 5 says "Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence."  Hope was there all along; he just had to grab it!  The Apostle Paul speaks of that same hope in Romans 5 - and hope does not disappoint because we have the love of God poured out within our hearts.  If you know God as your Father, you have this same hope and can exult in your trials and tribulations. 

 

One of my favorite portions of Psalm 42 is coming up tomorrow . . . hang in there with me, my friend!

One of the greatest deterrents to living a life worthy of the gospel of Christ is the temptation to allow our emotions to determine our reaction to circumstances.  We can justify and rationalize and before you know it, we have the truth all twisted and we are totally living out The Gospel According to (your name). 

 

Will you track with me for just a few moments as I walk you through Psalm 42?  Our goal is to determine a pattern that will help us discern how to avoid falling into emotional traps.  (Please read this Psalm printed for you in Day 1)

 

Phrases like as the deer pants for the water brooks, my soul thirsts for God, and my tears have been my food night and day let us know that the psalmist is desperate to hear from God, to come into His presence.  Has your soul ever been so thirsty for a touch from God that you felt as if you were living in a deserted wilderness?  That's the picture here.  It seems as if God is nowhere to be found.  But, is that true?  Absolutely NOT!  God's Word says that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  Will we ever feel left and forsaken?  Probably.  Does how we feel make it true.  No.

 

There is a question posed in the third verse:  Where is your God?  Oh, dear sister, that question has been asked from the beginning and will continue to be asked until the Asker is put away in the lake of fire forever and ever!  Satan has always tried to cast doubt on the goodness of God.  Can't you hear the taunting:  God has left you; some God He is to leave you in this mess!  Lies, lies, lies!!! 

 

BUT . . . he remembers and pours his soul out to the Lord.  Remembering is a powerful tool and we have the choice as to what we ponder.  The psalmist chose to remember a time of exhilaration and joy as he would deliberately go into the house of God with others who were praising God with voices of joy and thanksgiving.  Unfortunately, many choose to run from God in their times of distress and prove that they have listened to the lying voice of the enemy:  "Where is your God?"  Oh, Sweet Sister, your Jehovah Shammah is right there; He has not moved . . . you may not sense His presence but you can be sure that He is there.  It's His character . . . it's His Name! 

 

So far, these few verses have exposed the fact that it is not uncommon to feel rejection, abandonment, loneliness and longing BUT we must not allow our minds to run away with us and keep us there to entertain the thought that God has left us.  We must choose to REMEMBER THE TRUTH!!!  God's silence is not God's absence.  Truth is the oasis in the desert of deception. 

 

Run there, walk there, or even limp there . . . just get there!

Have any of you noticed that we are living in uncertain times?  That's a dumb question, isn't it!  J  It seems like just yesterday it was very unusual to hear that someone had lost a job or was filing bankruptcy or was losing their home or having a car repossessed but today the unusual is hearing that someone has more work than they can do!  My, how quickly times change and with every change comes emotion! 

 

Sometimes I wish I could walk through trials like a robot, not even noticing when my feelings get hurt or my heart is crushed or even when I have to suffer silently by choosing to do the right thing when everything in me wants to retaliate or run away.   That might sound like a good idea on some days but honestly; I can't imagine life without the highs and lows of emotion.   Uncertainty is sure to bring about a flood of feelings.   Today, I want to start our tour through Psalm 42.  I believe we can learn a lot about living victoriously in uncertain and even difficult times. 

 

There is not a word recorded in Scripture that is unnecessary or uninspired and we can learn and grow from all of it.  We may not completely understand all of the poetic imagery the psalmist uses but I think we will relate to his heart.  Psalm 42 is printed for you at the end of the introduction to this week's Dose so you can refer to it easily.  Please take a moment and read the Psalm.  (No cheating!!  Just do it!) 

 

What is the first thing you notice about that Psalm other than the first line is the beginning of a familiar praise song?  Did you catch the fact that the psalmist feels like he is in a desert at the beginning, drowning at the end and all over the place emotionally in the rest of the Psalm?  In case you didn't catch it, go back and note the various emotions expressed. Can you relate?

 

Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 are found as one Psalm in many ancient manuscripts and if you read Psalm 43, you will see that it carries some of the same language and thought.  Many scholars believe it was written by David although it is noted in most Bibles as a "maskil" (teaching psalm) of the sons of Korah.  Those who understand this as a Davidic Psalm put it on the time line when Absalom was trying to pull a coup-d'état and steal the throne from his father David. 

 

But . . . didn't David know that God had promised him an everlasting kingdom?  Didn't David know that God had established his kingdom?  Didn't David realize that God does what He says He will do according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth?  Well . . . yes . . . but don't we do the same thing . . . sinking into despair in spite of knowing truth is not a novel thing for the 21^st century! 

 

I'll share with you tomorrow how this Psalm came alive to me . . .

 

Until then ...

 

It is such a privilege to share with you through these Daily Doses of Encouragement!  I still can't believe that God has allowed me to serve in this capacity with Brenda Lancaster of ZooKeepers Ministries. . . what a privilege to work alongside such an amazing woman of faith, to be close enough to see that she lives what she professes AND she lives what she teaches!  Oh . . . how I digress but it's important that you know the integrity of the woman God has called to start a ministry that is literally reaching thousands all around the world! 

 

How I pray that as we continue to slice into God's Word this week, we will each be encouraged and equipped to handle what lies around the bend or what may be going on at this very moment.  We have an on-time God and the longer I walk with Him, the more I realize that.  Oh how I pray, dear sister, that this week God will meet you in an aromatic way . . . may you catch a whiff of Him and hunger for more.  J

 

Every year, I ask the Lord for a specific verse.  I've been doing this for probably 12 or 13 years and He is always faithful to give me one; however, this year He gave me a thought prior to giving me the verse.  "In whatever situation you find yourself, Honor Me!" WHATEVER . . . .   whatever could whatever mean????

 

Whatever means whatever!  Of course, my mind immediately went to the 'big things' in life . . . death, job loss, financial ruin, etc.  But so far this year, God has been driving home the point that it's so much more than that.  It is 'every circumstance' . . . the freezer goes out, your food takes longer than you would like at a restaurant, the line at Costco goes to the back of the store and you're in a hurry, the accommodations aren't as you expected, your child gets into trouble at school, you are falsely accused, "life's not fair", etc.  Dear friends, GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND RULES AND REIGNS OVER THE AFFAIRS OF MEN.  He is the authority and in plain English, if it touches your life He allowed it and will use it for your good and His glory. 

 

The verse to go along with my exhortation came weeks later:  JUST ONE THING . . . conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ . . . standing firm, in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.  (Philippians 1:27) 

 

My response to this truth must be intentionally living a life of worship that is characterized by pursuing and responding to truth.  Is God's Word the final authority in my  . . . here it is . . . emotions?  Have you ever heard this:  sow a thought, reap a deed; sow a deed, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a lifestyle?  It all starts with what we allow to steep in our hearts. 

 

Psalm 42 records the emotional grenades that were catapulted into David's mind and heart.  It also reveals how to dismantle those bombs so we can live a life worthy of the gospel.  Join me tomorrow for a closer look . . .

 

Running the race,