Psalm 13

Psalm 13 (NRSV)

1 How long, O Lord ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear paina in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord ,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
[1]

Lord,
The mystics call it “the dark night of the soul.” There are seasons when you seem to be so very very far away. I know the old platitudes, “If God seems to be far away, guess who moved!” And there is truth to be found in that witticism. But who wants to accuse the poet of moving out on God?

No, there are seasons when prayers seem to never get out of the room and you, dear Lord, seem to never come in. This is the mystery. The experience of your absence seems to afflict the most faithful as much, maybe more, than the casual Christian. Wasn’t it Mother Teresa who confessed to a very long season, many years, of spiritual drought?

I do not pretend to know your mind about this. But I know that my droughts send me searching anew for the springs of living water and I come to a new awareness of my dependence on you. Usually, when I am spiritually dehydrated, I go looking for the water to drink! (Waiting for dehydration may be stupid.)

Now this is faith! In the season of spiritual drought, the poet proclaims, “But (what a powerful word, BUT) I trusted in your steadfast love….” In seasons, lush and lean, Lord, grant me that faith. Whether emotionally warm or not, spiritually full or empty, personally secure or at risk, grant to me that faith. And grant me the grace to love you back with all of my being.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to see you through your own seasons of spiritual difficulty.
Ask God to grant you the mighty faith of the poet in seasons lush and lean.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.

a Syr: Heb hold counsels
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.