Last Sunday marked the 6th week since we have been able to gather together to worship in person. While I am grateful for the technology, I desperately miss worshiping with you in person. I find myself feeling like the Psalmist, saying “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before my God?…These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.” (Ps. 42:1-2,4)
There are many reasons why I love the Psalms, but one of them is that the very Psalm that gives us the words to express the cries of our heart also gives us comforting promises to hope in. Psalm 42 continues, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (vv.5-6a)
Some days it may not feel like it, but this quarantine will come to an end! And there will again be a day when we gather again together in the presence of our risen Lord to sing his praises! And again, the Psalms will be there to give us the words to express our joy:
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” – Psalm 122:1
That day will come, friends, and what a day it will be! And as much as we look forward to that day in hope, we can take even greater joy that our reunion as we gather for public worship will only be the smallest foretaste of our reunion in glory at the marriage supper of the Lamb! Let us continue in all circumstances to long for that great Day and to press on in the faith.
Until then, let the Psalms guide your prayers. Lift up your eyes to the Lord and ask for his mercy (Ps. 123), cry to him out of the depths (Ps. 130), call on him to hear your prayers (Ps. 143), remind yourself that he is your refuge and strength and a very present help in trouble (Ps. 46).
In Christ,
Pastor Eric
