Worship in the Wilderness
“God-you’re my God! I can’t get enough of you! I’ve worked up such hunger and thirst for God, traveling across dry and weary deserts. So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In Your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you.” Psalm 63:1-4
The temple, with all its symbols and rituals, is the ideal place where David desired to worship God... yet his most authentic worship and deep encounter with God did not always happen in the house of worship. I remember what a nurse assigned in the ICU department once said, “Probably more people learn how to really pray in ICUs than in churches.”
Actually, people learn to pray more at the billing section (hope you laugh a little). Well, in the case of David, he learned worship in the wildernesses of his life.
Escaping from the enemy, he encountered God! Somehow, this must be how grace works. Just when we have nothing to boast, no one to lean on and nowhere to go, God shows up! Thank God, our stint in our own spiritual wilderness does not last forever. The inconveniences and the dangers lurking in the wilderness clearly taught David he was not in charge. In the wilderness, David shook hands with despair and in desperation, he desired nothing and no one save God. When you are in the middle of the desert, an iPhone will be nothing compared to a bucket of cold water. Learning to worship comes from an acknowledgement of spiritual thirstiness. In desperation, David learned to call and commune with God. The wilderness shaped his willfulness into willingness! In the wilderness, he remembered the worship done in the temple. Later, in the temple, his worship was inspired by the memories of his spiritual encounter in the wilderness!
Are you going through a spiritual wilderness? There is no easy answer available at this moment. The only available choice one has when confronted is to go through it, and in desperate, spiritual thirstiness, discover God, drink from His Presence ‘til you want no more. Only the thirsty desire a fresh drink. Only those who are really thirsty linger longer at the well of grace. Your time at the well is really defined by the depth of your thirst.
Admittedly, I find myself in a dilemma when, every Sunday, after leading people to drink from God’s word, from the well of His Presence, I find myself envious of the people who leave God’s house with their thirstiness quenched. It may be I am just too tired...after having preached four times. Last Sunday was different; I came in my casual clothes, not in the usual Minister’s attire as it was not my schedule to preach. I came to attend worship, to be led by others to His Presence. To hear God’s people worship and to blend my voice with them was a remarkable spiritual experience. To hear God’s word preached by Dr. Gerry Molato was thirst-quenching. To be among those who acknowledged their thirstiness will always be a powerful memory to be powerless. Now I know what I have been missing all along... when ministers like myself remain thirsty after leading many to the well of God’s Presence, I think it is because I am too busy to admit my thirst and too proud to drink along with others. Thank the Lord for the lesson; thanks for allowing me, once more, to be a worshiper of God.
Are you thirsty? Come and drink from the well of God’s presence. Actually, our wilderness experience paves the way to appreciate and drink deep from the waters of grace as we worship with many other thirsty souls. Thank you for reading... I write straight from an awakened thirsty soul.