Read this first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2042&version=NIV
First off I wouldn’t be a 90’s Christian kid if I didn’t allude to this song that I’m pretty sure I sang every day at high school chapel for 4 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa6kplL3wjk
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One[d]
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
What a truth for today the longing to be back in worship is not something I’ve felt much in my professional life as I’m always at worship twice on Sundays. Now I only get it once and it’s a virtual service I spent probably 24 hours putting online. Doesn’t quite feel right.
However there’s a deeper longing from me right now. I’m disconnected from physical touch and people in a sense. Sure I can do things virtually but it’s not the same. Then last week and even now thunder, lightning, protests, covid, racial disharmony, people asking to get rid of the police, it’s a lot for one to take. We want to say Come quickly Lord Jesus. I think we’re finally waking up to the world that we created for ourselves just isn’t that great. We wish it were something more something greater. There’s the idea that going back to normal would do it- yet I’m not certain that normal will come, nor that it should. Because we want something better than even what used to be. We had it far too good for too long and still do. We learned social isolation, racial and political unrest long ago. We want bigger walls instead of bigger tables. Headphones instead of speakers. Phones for selfies instead of TVs for parties. Self care and me time instead of group love and commitments to teams.
We need to get out of our iphones and our myspaces. Because we’ve stopped learning how to wait. We want all that we need now. Yet God says wait patiently for the Lord. We were made to be interdependent not independent. God gave man and woman jobs. He wants us to work with Him for each other. There’s value in work and in working towards loving God spouse and neighbor. There’s room for rest too- but not everything should be postmated to your door.
God come through. Bring unity in this country. Raise up leader of all colors to show us how to change for the better and how to unite. Most importantly may all that’s gone on this year bring us to our knees in prayer to you. You have made us humble. Now help us to learn from it.
Marking It Up 