We attend church because our faith in Christ means a lot to us. It is the foundation of who we are. When we struggle with life issues, we come to church with those burdens. We are encouraged through the service. Our spirits are lifted up through singing, reminding us how great God is and how much He loves us. We are not only inspired by the preaching of how God can work in our lives, but are also given support through our local faith community – verbal exchanges, smiles, and those who would even pray for us.
But what would happen if you couldn’t have that encouragement? You may be going through this circumstance right now. It’s a double blow when we fear potential physical illness and miss out on gathering with God’s people. What if you knew you weren’t alone? In fact, not only is this situation not unique to us in 2020, but King David went through the same thing.
In Psalm 42 and 43 this is what is spoken about of David. He is on the run. He is in physical danger, and because of those things, he is not able to meet for corporate worship with God’s people. What is said to encourage David during this time?
START WITH GOD AS YOUR FOUNDATION
In the first two verses of Psalm 42, what is written for David is to remember that God is his foundation. He needs to know, before he petitions God, that God is the one whom his reliance is on.
DECLARE YOUR EMOTIONS TO GOD
It doesn’t seem Christian to tell your emotions to God. That being said, this is what David does, and this is what Job did. In Psalm 42:3, 6, 9-10, he shares several emotions with God. Notice, he is not complaining all over social media, but sharing those feelings with God Himself. Also notice this is not a gripe session for David followed by leaving in anger or depression. This is David placing His burdens at God’s feet, then relying on Him as we will see in a little bit.
LONGING FOR CORPORATE WORSHIP IS A GOOD THING
David is not only upset about the physical danger he is in, he is also sad that he is not able to corporately worship. He states this in Psalm 42:2b, 4 and 43:3-4. Often when we have physical issues, we have spiritual ones as well. If you are ill, or have a strong potential for being ill, you can end up having to miss corporate worship. This can be upsetting as this is the time you could need more, not less encouragement in God. If this is your case, know you are in the same situation as King David.
GOD’S LOVE AND GUIDANCE ARE STEADY IN YOUR LIFE
While situations change, God’s love and guidance are steady. This is what is said in Psalm 42:8. It is good to be reminded that while everything in your life may be uncertain, the God who holds the universe together is stable.
PROCLAIM GOD AS YOUR HOPE THROUGH SALVATION
It is stated not once but twice through Psalm 42 (vs 5 & 11), that God is David’s hope. This means that even though David is unsure of his future, he knows where his hope really is – in God, His Savior.
Is God your foundation? Do you talk to God about your emotions? If you are a believer, and the situation you are in is holding you away from corporate worship, do you miss being with God’s people in His house? Is He your steady guidance during this time? If He is, will you proclaim Him as your eternal hope?
Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10:45 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes or Googleplay.