Tuesday, February 19, 2013

I WANT TO PRAISE THE LORD!

David, before he became king of Judah, found himself separated from his home, his king, his friends, and everyone he had ever loved.  In reading Psalm 22 this morning, I remembered this same feeling many times in my own life. Of course, I was not really alone.  But the feeling, always the feeling, could put me in a state of despair.

As I read on in the psalm, I came to verses 25 and 26:  "Here is this great gathering for worship.  I have discovered this praise-life.  And I'll do what I promised right here in front of the God-worshipers.  Everyone on the hunt for God is here, praising him.  Live it up, from head to toe.  Don't ever quit!"

David consoles himself, invigorates those around him, and makes a promise.  What promise does he make?  And to whom?

At the beginning of the Psalm, David had pleaded with God, "Why did you dump me miles from nowhere."  Kind of an exaggeration, isn't it?  But when we feel depressed we feel not only separated from love, but lonely. The feelings become exaggerated. And if we have an opportunity to say , I feel lonely, to someone, somehow it seems so much better,  But it doesn't stay better, sadly.

What  had David really lost?  How can he find that which is lost?  How does he  begin to find, once again, his true nature?  And, does he imagine what he says here.....?  "Here is this great gathering for worship.  I have discovered this praise-life."

When I have been depressed, I need God. I know I need God, but at times, I can hardly call upon Him.  Do I feel unworthy?  Ashamed?  Maybe so.  But I am learning something very basic.  God hasn't left.  I'm the one who has left.  David was the one who had left. But, by the time he had come to the end of the psalm, David had found himself in the presence of God and had made a promise to Him.

He says, "Here is",,,not was, not will be.  God is here. God is always here. God is wherever you are and are calling Him because He is.  He is there.  He is real.  He is power and glory and all that we need now or will ever need.  Here.  He is here.

David, in the psalm, is in a gathering, a great gathering.  He has discovered a praise-life. How this came about, whether from imagination or vision or reality, no one knows. Only David and God.  But his promise is  real..... In verses 22 and 23, we read, "Shout hallelujah, give glory to God, and adore Him." David promised.  I promise.  How about you?

Let's do it, for as long as we live!! Praise you, Lord Jesus!!

Jo

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