Longing 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” (Psalm 63:1).
As we dig into Psalm 63, we are reminded by Charles Spurgeon that,
“David did not leave off singing because he was in the wilderness, neither did he in slovenly idleness go on repeating Psalms for other occasions, but he carefully made his worship suitable to his circumstances and presented to his God a wilderness hymn when he was in the wilderness. There was no desert in his heart, though there was a desert around him. We, too, may be cast into rough places ere we go hence. In such seasons, may the Eternal Comforter abide with us and cause us to bless the Lord at all times, making even the solitary place to become a temple for Jehovah.”
Psalm 63 reminds us that we do not have to ignore the reality of our pain and suffering. We can openly acknowledge it and the insatiable longing it creates in us. A longing that drives us to satisfy our thirst, a desire essential for life. It moves us toward the Living Water, Jesus, and it is here our thirst is quenched. Our trust in Jesus is not an anesthetic, but it is a healing balm for our soul and an anchor in the storm. He is our Eternal Comforter, and in Him, we find real, lasting peace, joy, and hope.
Perhaps the sweetest language of this Psalm is the first words David proclaims, “O God, you are my God.” In these words, rings assurance and allegiance. He has no doubts that he belongs to God and his faith enables him to claim Him as his own. Oh, Believer, should we ever doubt? These words are covenantal in nature and are repeated over and over again in Scripture to define our relationship with God. “I will be their God, and they will be my people.” This is a binding promise that He will make us His. The book of Hebrews tells us that this oath is “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.” (Hebrews 6:19) Though we are covenant breakers, God is a covenant keeper. It is impossible for Him to lie. He has sent His only Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our covenant breaking and to fulfill all of the conditions of the covenant on our behalf. He has provided a way for us to live in His presence always and eternally. We are His! Nothing can separate us, and in the wilderness, we can confidently cry, “Oh God, you are my God!” We are safe. We are held, protected, and provided for. There is no greater comfort or encouragement.
Because of this, David says, “Earnestly I seek you.” Some translations say early rather than earnestly. There is an eagerness, intensity, and immediateness about this search. He runs to Him in the discomfort and weariness of his wilderness. Where do you run? David says his soul thirsts, and his body longs. With his whole being, body, and soul, he ardently and diligently pursues this God, who he is fully assured is his. It is here that his insatiable longings exposed in the dry and weary land where he dwells are satisfied. In the wilderness, there is no water, and it draws us to Him, the spring of living water, and away from the broken cisterns from which we often try to drink.
“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13).
If you have put your hope and trust in Christ, you can join David in confidently proclaiming, “O God, you are my God.” Those words are full of hope for those of us who find ourselves overwhelmed by our circumstances. Seek Him with all your being, believing that He is the satisfier of your soul. Worship Him; because even your solitary place can become a temple for Jehovah.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Perhaps you are in the wilderness now. There are many reasons we find ourselves there. You do not have to deny the reality of your pain and suffering. In the midst of it, confidently cry out in worship to the One who has bound Himself to you by His covenant. Be fully assured that He is in the desert with you. Let the weariness, thirst, and discomfort of your wilderness drive you to Him. It is there you will find rest and comfort, and your parched soul will be quenched.
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 Wednesday, 24 August 2022.
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