Thirsty Deer, Rain Maker!

 

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?" Psalm 42:1-2

As Jackets, boots, sweaters and all the winter clothings are being whipped out in preparation for winter; I am reflective on my life this time last year. I remember it like it was only yesterday. I was in a really bad place emotionally and spiritually. I had moved to a new country in the summer. And although I had an amazing husband and family who loved me, as well as an incredible job in hand, I struggled a great deal with my mental health & Infact struggled to find meaning and purpose for my everyday existence.  I walked around with a lot of anxiety and panic attack. As winter drew closer, with even more shorter days and longer evenings; all I wanted to do at the time was have longer sleep and less interaction with the world. My pillow was my comfort and my duvet a very dear friend [because being asleep, was the only time I escaped from the dark clouds that were hovering around me]. I was deeply overwhelmed and troubled in soul & spirit. I would randomly burst out into uncontrollable tears ever so often. Like the sons of Korah, I had many why questions about my heart. "why are you downcast o my soul?"

Though in our lives, it may appear that at a particular season is when we ought to be the most grateful and at peace, but why is it that yet this isn't the case? We are clouded by our very tired, weary and downcast soul, even when everything else happening around us seems to be what we dreamed and prayed for. Still yet, consistent joy is fleeting, peace is fleeting and we are left with our fickle emotions tossing us all around like a yoyo. 

Psalm 42 written by the Sons of Korah starts off with an acknowledgment of a deep thirst i.e a deer aching with thirst from drought or heated pursuit. The psalmist soul longed for and needed God desperately. The psalmist even reflects on the good Ol days and aches even more [I imagine each thought of a time he was once so happy; followed with even more louder cries]; but then he encourages himself with the hope that yet soon again he will be revived. "Hope is like the sun, which as we journey towards it, casts shadow of our burden behind us" - Charles Spurgeon. This son of Korah needed living water, just like I needed it and just like anyone else who is downcast at this time needs it too. The chief thing that was bothering the psalmist is that he was far from Jerusalem and its temple worship on Mount Zion and therefore felt himself cut off from God. He needed God desperately

"Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches. Though it's roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays, at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling" - Job 14:7-9

I love love love this scripture! Isn't it just amazing that no matter how old in the earth "roots" may seem to have grown, or how decayed thier stumps have now gotten, there is hope at the very scent of water. It will bud, it will sprout, it will be like a new seedling. So my dear friends, discouragement, downcast, down and out, depression, anxiety and all it's relatives are all small fries where living water is concerned. At first it may seem like nothing at all can restore real peace and joy and so people settle for muddy waters and a few raindrops here and there [through ever changing relationships and life circumstances]. God is the living water, His word is life, His word is light. Don't give up on seeking Him. Don't give up on finding true living water. What He does best is reviving people down in the dumps. He is the waterfall. He is the avalanche. He is the Rain maker. So if you are down and out in this season, take encouragement from the fact that, there is still hope for you. Run towards God and not further away from him. And if you are only able to crawl, guess what? well that's ok too!

Happy November!

Love,

SR