Remembering

I read Psalm 42 this morning. And I remembered.

Even if you aren't sure that it's the 42nd Psalm, you're probably familiar with it.

As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee......

I've been reading this Psalm for years. I've been singing these words for years. But they really came alive to me on a December Sunday morning at Ein Gedi, in Israel.

It was on that Sunday morning that I saw this:

 

 

 

These are ibex, the "deer" referred to in this Psalm. And as the photo indicates, they live in a dry, barren environment. There's not a lot of water there.  The Dead Sea is in the background, but there's no drinking water there. Not even for an ibex. A deer could get pretty thirsty in an environment like this. As I think about that, and as I look at this picture, I ask myself just how thirsty I am.

 

In the mountains of western North Carolina where I once lived, and here in South Carolina as well, we have a different kind of deer. And a different environment. A deer doesn't have to go far to get a drink of water.

 

 

 

 

It occurs to me that these contrasting environments really illustrate a truth about Christianity in America today. Here in the US we are surrounded by "water" in the sense that we have an abundance of opportunities for Bible study, an abundance of Christian books, Bibles in multiple translations, an abundance of opportunities to drink deep of the water of the Word. Yet the downward shift in our culture would make it seem that we are in a dry and barren land. Why is that the case? How did we get to this point? Is it because we have such abundance that we have become complacent? Is it that we just aren't thirsty enough? Something to think about.

 

But I digress. As I read Psalm 42 this morning, I remembered. I first visited Ein Gedi when we traveled to Israel in 2010. We were at Ein Gedi on a Sunday morning, and it was there that we had our morning worship. As we sat there, watching the ibex, in this oasis in the desert, Dr. Wilton read Psalm 42. And so I will forever associate that Psalm with my memories of being in that place.

 

As I'm remembering, I also remember a conversation with Dr. Wilton on that same day. We were at Masada, just a few miles down the road. As our group was gathering to ride the cable car back down to the base of the mountain, the few of us standing there were having a chat. I remarked that I was on overload. And I was! Sensory overload. Information overload. Just overloaded and overwhelmed by what I had already experienced. And we hadn't even "walked where Jesus walked" yet!

 

We had spent a few days in Cairo, Egypt, and then had journeyed through the Sinai, following the Exodus route. We had arrived in Israel the afternoon before.  We had seen pyramids and papyrus.  We had visited Christian churches in Egypt. We had been to Mt. Sinai. I was trying to remember everything, so afraid I would forget something. And I was just overwhelmed.

 

Dr. Wilton gave me some good advice that day. He said not to try to remember every detail. Just experience it. And then, he said, when you get back home you will never read the Scriptures in the same way again. When you read the Word, your mind will recall where you were and what you saw and what you experienced. You will see it all in a completely new way. He was right. I often remember that conversation. As I did this morning when I read Psalm 42. 

 

But there's more to that Psalm than deer thirsting for water and the parallel to our souls thirsting for God.

 

David was on the run. King Saul wanted to kill him. And so David hid in a cave. A cave at Ein Gedi.

 

 

 

 

 

In this particular Psalm, David not only wrote about thirsting after God.  He also wrote these words:

 

"Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence." (Psalm 42:5 NASB)

 

Probably no one is trying to kill you this morning. But you may be in despair for some other reason.

 

Perhaps the issue that troubles you is a health concern. Or a financial need. Or perhaps you've experienced a loss. If we could all gather in once place and share the burdens of our hearts, I'm sure there would be quite a long and varied list of issues.

 

But in all those situations, these words hold true, just as they did for David so long ago.

 

Why are you in despair? Hope in God.

 

That's an important truth worth remembering.

 

 

As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee.

You alone are my heart's desire, and I long to worship Thee.

You alone are my strength, my shield;

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee.

 

(-Martin Nystrom)