Longing for God

Psalm 63:1-4New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.

O God, you are my God, I seek you,
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;

     I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

Whenever things are really bad, they often tell you to go to the Psalms.  Psalms run the gamut of emotion: they share joy, lament, anger, revenge, longing.

Psalm 63 is the one that I find I turn to the most.  The beauty of the opening verses sing to my heart when I say them.  They remind me of my need for God. 

It isn't simply that I worship God, or follow God, or love God.

I need God.

I need God as an infant needs his or her mother.  I am dependent on God for my very life.  From God I received my breath and this Psalm, more perhaps than anything else in scripture, reminds me of how much I long to be reminded of that connection.

Do you ever long for God? When are you reminded of that need? Does it happen when you are suffering or sad, or are their moments of exultation when you cling to that need with everything you have?

Perhaps these aren't the words that remind you of that need.  Maybe there are others?  Maybe there is a part of worship or a hymn or song that reminds you of that need.

But if not, I encourage you to find something - a place you can turn to - when that need envelops you.

And then let your heart sing out as the Psalmist does.

Lord, I long for you.  I need you.  Even when I don't remember it.  And when I don't remember it, remind me of our close connection.  Amen.