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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. My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips when I think of you on 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 sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. -Psalm 63:1-8 NRSV
Easter is one month away! Ash Wednesday was two weeks ago... so where are you on your Lenten journey this year? What spiritual disciplines are you striving to practice during this season of penitence and reflection?
I try to set aside time to read scripture and pray every day. I have to admit that when I started trying to do this years ago, I was doing it just because it was a discipline--it's what Christians are supposed to do, right? Then I discovered that if I ever got sidetracked and didn't take the time to read and pray, I really missed that time and felt completely out of sorts.
Our relationship, our journey with God is closer when we worship. Not just on Sunday, but every day when we read scripture and pray. When we take the time to nourish that relationship, we ourselves are nourished! When we reach out for God, we discover that we are already being held.
Consider the psalm passage at the beginning of this page: 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. The psalmist openly declares his need for God, comparing it to his need for water, with the knowledge that one cannot survive without it. He praises God for his power, glory, and steadfast love, and declares that he will praise God as long as he lives. He was fainting from thirst a moment ago, and now he describes being satisfied as with a rich feast! He sings for joy in the shadow of God's wings, clinging to God, upheld by his right hand... this is what happens when we spend time with God, when we make decisions throughout each day to seek that relationship which is so graciously offered to us! We find that we are eternally loved, and we are strengthened to continue our journey sharing that love with others.
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