Aug. 29

Psalm 43

On Monday we went back to school for Professional Development.  A video was played on the topic of finding your joy and your purpose in life. It started out on the right track in saying that joy cannot be found in material possessions.  As I was watching and listening, I wrote in my reflection book that if the speaker doesn't mention God she missed the point.  There was some mention of spiritual awareness and perhaps because it is public school the video chosen couldn't mention Jesus, but the point was clear, (at least it was to me and then my co worker sitting next to me who had to listen as I had to verbalize the obvious). Chasing material "things" will never bring true, everlasting joy. This point was also clear to the Psalmist in today's reading.  "There I will go to the altar of God, to God - "the source of all my joy".  (v.4)  The Psalmist is clearly struggling with deceit and injustice and in his crying out to God. There are a lot of "why's" being asked from a place in his heart of longing to understand. Then, the psalmist shows us the turning point, he changes to a position of praising God asking for light and truth to lead the way to where God is. It was in his praise that the Psalmist came to the tabernacle of God, the tent of meeting, the place where God lives and waits to meet with us.  With gratitude, he can now fellowship with God. Whether or not the circumstances changed was no longer the focus.  The focus was now praise and worship. The change took place in his soul.  As we get ready to go into 40 days of prayer, I think it is crucial that we too set up a place where we come to the tabernacle of God. Set up a tent of meeting where it's just you, your Bible and journal, and the Lord.  While there are a few circumstances I would love to see change in my life,  I pray even more for for myself and everyone on this journey that God blesses our souls and meets us where we are as we draw closer to Him in our praise and worship.

Randi