Guidance in the Wilderness
Paula Miles, Guest Writer
TODAY’S TREASURE
“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. They who seek my life will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth. They will be given over to the sword and be food for jackals. But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God’s name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced” (Psalm 63).
Psalm 63 is a guide for us when we are in the wilderness. This psalm was written by David in the wilderness of Judah. Verse 11 lets us know he was king, and most think that it was written when he was fleeing from his son, Absalom, who had launched a rebellion against him, stealing the hearts of the people and threatening to take his kingdom. David flees to the wilderness for fear of his life. Probably not what he expected as king. The comforts and provisions of the palace are gone. Can you imagine the emotions of being rebelled against by your own son? Loneliness, rejection, isolation. Most likely, fear and danger were a part of his days in the wilderness. The circumstances of his life were less than ideal.
What about you? Most of us can relate in some way as we have experienced wildernesses of our own, places of barrenness, and lifelessness. Suddenly our circumstances are full of sorrow, confusion, and loneliness. Suddenly the waves and winds of this broken world surround us: death, disease, destruction, depression. Maybe the waves and winds are more subtle. Envy, discontent, strife, the same nagging sin, a difficult relationship… you name it. Like David, there is a gap between our expectations and our experience. In this Psalm, David guides us as he expresses the longings of his heart. According to Derek Kidner, “in these verses is not the groping of a stranger towards God, but the eagerness of a friend, almost of a lover, to be in touch with one he holds dear.” The nearness of God is his consolation.
This Psalm became meaningful to me in the fall of 2017 through the words of my son. Clary, a freshman in college, had just left our nest and was soaring when suddenly his wings were clipped. On October 3rd, he was involved in a serious car accident that miraculously did not take his life. His injuries included a broken pelvis in three places as well as an internal injury that would require major surgery six months later. It was a good eight months to a year of recovery. There were lots of uncertainties and unknowns in his future, weeks of pain, and months of struggle. Questions, emotions, and certainly a gap between his expectations and his experience. One particular day we made our daily trek to take a shower at a friend’s house who had a handicap-accessible bathroom. Not particularly what a nineteen-year-old son wants to do with his mother. As I sat in the bathroom, knowing he might need my help while he showered, he spoke to me. “Mom,” he said, “this morning, I was reading Psalm 63. You know where it says your love is better than life. I used to think I understood that, but now I think I really get it.” Sometimes in the wilderness, we know Him better and experience His love more deeply. As a mom, my eyes welled with tears, but my heart was filled with joy. I, myself, began to marinate in this passage. From that day forward, my prayer has been that this would be the cry of my own heart, as well as my son’s, no matter where life takes us. “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”
Recently I asked Clary what exactly he was thinking when he said that. His response was that he knew God’s steadfast love was really all he had and that it was enough. He knew the days ahead were going to be difficult. Life as he had known it no longer existed and was certainly not what he expected. By God’s grace, this God was no stranger to him but instead was his only consolation – a sure and satisfying one. To Him be the glory!
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Do you find yourself in the wilderness? Be assured that God is there with you. He is not a stranger that you are groping towards but One who is near and dear to you. He is the One who satisfies your deepest longing, and His power and glory are manifested in your deepest weakness. Run towards Him and cry out to Him. Glorify Him because His steadfast love is better than life itself.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Paula Miles is wife to Kevin and mother of four. Paula has experienced the joy of being both a full-time homemaker and a public school teacher. Studying and teaching God’s Word is her passion, as well as coming alongside women to encourage them to understand their unique design and fulfill their individual callings. Paula is on staff at Clemson Presbyterian as women’s ministry coordinator since 2014, is a conference speaker, and serves on the national women’s ministry team for the PCA as a women’s ministry trainer.
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Originally published Monday, 22 August 2022.
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