"Where is Your God?"

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?  My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, 'Where is your God'” (vs1-3).

The believer, more than anything, wants God (vs1-2). He says, “When shall I come and appear before God?” We want acceptance before Him, strength to obey Him, and the joy of His will. We want Him because nothing else can help, and we know that He will. We know that seeing His love, power, and promises brings us relief, so that we can overcome this world and defeat our sinful flesh. God ALONE is the hope of our life. He brings us to heaven to experience the peace that He has begun down here. We praise Him for being a refuge, but we NEED Him desperately.

We have griefs and fears that make us say, “Where is now your God?” (vs3-7) He says, “My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, 'Where is your God?' When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go it the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.” Our tears cry out to us mockingly, as if the pain we endure is proof that we've been forsaken, but it isn't true. Hope in God, because He will never tell you, “Go the other side”, and not lead you there safely (Luke 8:22-25). Remember, the disciples endured a storm, but the Lord saw them through, even as He will you. He has predestined your salvation, paid for your sins fully, and He will not let sin, trouble, or tears be your ruin. Just like the disciples in the ship, He'll show Himself faithful and great by saving you from your troubles, troubles SO severe that you doubted He would be there at all. But, He will. Luke 8:24-25 says, “And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, 'Master, Master, we are perishing!' Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm”. Bless God, He will be faithful, even when obstacles are saying, “No way. He isn't for you”.

Finally, we do go up and down like yo-yo's at times - in comfort, and then in distress. He said, “I will say to God my Rock, 'Why have You forgotten me? Who do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy... Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted with me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God”. We think, “Trouble is getting better”, or, “I've found a way to fix this”, but then problems unsought break down the door, climb through the window, and perplex us. 2 Cor 4 says, “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus [the life of faith] also may be manifested in our body” (vs8-10). But, it doesn't matter. Someone said, “Heshimu, I'm with you. You know that you've got me on your side”, and it meant a lot. But, to have God on my side, even when things go from bad to worse, even when problems continue, and comforts are removed, is enough to float our boat. Don't look to the problems and listen to your fears; believe the gospel of God being WITH you for Christ's sake, promising that He'll never leave. He is your help in time of need.

If He is your hope, then your hope is not in vain - it is not wishful thinking; it is going to God Himself who will never be found unfaithful.