Reveal | Day 2 - Feb 23 | Psalm 42

How many times have I stood in a church service singing these words with a heart of worship? But it was not until I read all of Psalm 42 that I realized the psalmist expressed these words from a heart of despair. David had come to a point in his life where he felt keen loss and longed for “yesterday”. He urgently needed contact with the source of his strength. What strikes me is David’s candor before God. He had no trouble telling God how much he hurt. He didn’t put on a mask to come before God. David was not ashamed to be himself when he called out to the Lord.

There was another who poured his heart out in honest prayer to his Father. He knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane. His name was Jesus. His sorrow was greater than any among us have ever known. He was betrayed, scorned and overcome with every kind of grief. He soon would carry the weight of the sin of all mankind. Though he was God, he was also man. We see that truth as he called out to his Father in agonizing honesty. Yes, even Jesus needed to draw strength for what lay ahead. In those moments, his soul, too, longed for the Living Water. Before spilling out his blood on the cross, he spilled out his troubled heart to his Father.

Many know the tight grip of devastating life events that squeeze any semblance of joy from our lives. We, like David, long for days gone by. I have learned along the way that this is no time for stoicism. This is not the time to think about how I should feel. This is the time to tell God how I do feel. What a blessing to have the ear of God. He hears me, he accepts me, and he strengthens me. The rocky terrain may not be made smooth, but I walk it accompanied by the one who knows me best. To be real with God is to trust him. And that, my friend, is something we all can do!