Psalms that Connect Us with God – Part 2 — A ‘Time With God’ Devotion

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Transcript

Good morning. As we get started today, we’re going to start our day the best way possible, and that’s by listening to God. That’s what we do when we read the Bible. We spend time with God.

I wonder if the concept of having a personal relationship with God seems a little strange to you. You may be even a Christian, a person who goes to church, and yet it’s sort of an external thing. You go to hear about God and about what’s said in the Bible, but you don’t feel that you’re building a personal relationship with God.

And if you’re not yet a follower of Jesus, you may not realise this either. You might think it’s just a religious thing, but actually, when you come into a personal relationship with God, that’s what it is. It’s not just religion, it’s a relationship. There’s plenty of religions in the world, but what you want in your life, what your soul is thirsty for is a relationship with God Himself.

When we read the Psalms in the Bible, we get a picture of what it looks like to have a real relationship with God. That’s what we’re doing all this week, taking a different Psalm every day that really connects us with God.

Today, we’re looking at Psalm 63, another Psalm of King David from Israel when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

Here’s what he says, “Oh God, you are my God. Earnestly, I seek you”.

Well, are you seeking for God in your life? Maybe you’ve got a lot of questions. Maybe you’ve got some hopes and doubts. You’re just unsure and you’re seeking for God. Well, this is what David says, “and I encourage you to actually talk to God about your search for Him”.

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Earnestly, I seek you, David says. My soul thirsts for you. Are you thirsty inside?

Looking for answers, you’ve been so invested in your business, and it’s not doing for you in the depths of your heart what you thought it would.

Are you good at sports, but that also it makes you feel good, fit, healthy, but your soul is still thirsty.

Maybe you thought that these relationships in your life would meet that deep inner thirst, and for sure those relationships are like medicine to you, aren’t they? It’s so good to be in relationship with people, but there’s still something that you’re thirsty for in your soul. Well, King David says, “what I’m thirsty for, God, is you”.

“My flesh faints for you as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

Here he is writing this in the wilderness.

And he says, “that’s how I’m thirsty for you, God, just like I’m thirsty for water”.

“So I’ve looked upon you in the sanctuary beholding your power and glory.

“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.”

Do you know the love of God in your life? Have you experienced God’s love? It’s easy to hear about it and think it just means mushy, warm feelings. That’s such a little part of the full picture of what God’s love means. Have you experienced that?

“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you, so I will bless you as long as I live. In your name. I will lift up my hands.

“My soul will be satisfied as with fat rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips when I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night, for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”

A picture of those little baby chicks sheltering under the mother bird’s wings.

“In the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you, God. Your right hand upholds me, but those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth. They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be apportioned for jackals. But the king, that’s David, shall rejoice in God. All who swear by God shall exalt.

“For the mouths of liars will be stopped.

“My soul thirsts for you.”

I’m John North.

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