Why So Downcast O My Soul?

As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? (Psalms 42:1-2 NASB)

The first time I heard this passage of Scripture as a song it was a "joyful" song.  And it should be, for the soul that pants, thirsts, for the living God will find Him, and with Him comes a fullness of joy that nothing and no one else can give.

But it does not necessarily mean that the circumstances in panting and seeking for God are also joyful.

Believers are supposed to be panting and seeking God everyday.  But there will come those days when we are panting and thirsting for God in not so joyful circumstances, even to the point of wanting to give up, being depressed, spiritually down or "dry" as some will call it.

Look at what the psalmist says in his song:

My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 

The sons of Korah (the writers of this psalm) were going through painful circumstances, enough for them to be crying day and night.  Their situation so bad that people were asking where their God was!

These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

Notice how the sons of Korah proclaim that they USED TO go along with the throng and lead them in the procession to the house of God, with the voice of joy and thanksgiving.  These people were not strangers to God's joy and celebration.  Yet, at this moment, they were down

O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

These guys were going through some turmoil in their life.  What it was they do not say, but what they do confess is that they were in despair, that deep was calling to deep - there was no shoreline, no beach, to hope for.  The waves were rolling over them, continually battering them.

But in the midst of their trial, they garner the last ounce of strength they have and "speak" to their soul:

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. 

Why so downcast O my soul?  I remember one of the teachings of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones where he tells his listeners to speak to their soul.  Hope in God!  Keep your hopes up!  Don't let go of the faithfulness of God.  One day I shall again praise Him.

Even in the midst of the storm, they were able to proclaim:

The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life. (Psalms 42:8 NASB)

What a treasure it is to know God...not just memorize Scripture, but to know Him, His promises, His teachings.  And to know that no matter what circumstance we may be going through it does not change who He is!  This what the sons of Korah proclaimed - even while their souls were downcast, their knowledge of who their God was had them believe that He woujld command His lovingkindness in the day and His song in the night.  He was the God of their life.

Are you downcast?  Speak to your soul.  Dig deep into the knowledge of who your God is.  If your knowledge is weak to to His word, and may the Spirit quicken your hearts to know the God of Scripture and make Him alive in your heart

Do you know someone who is downcast?  Don't scold them for their lack of faith, but lead them back to who their God is, that they, too, may speak to their soul and proclaim what the sons of Korah said:

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. (Psalms 42:11 NASB)

GIVER OR "GETTER"

While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. But some were indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted? For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they were scolding her. But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her." 

Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time. (Mark 14:3-11 NASB)

Two very contrasting people in this passage, and this in relation to Jesus Christ.  The first a giver.  The other, a "getter" (don't know if there is such a term).  

The first was a woman who had an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard.  Both the vial and the perfume were of high value.  Instead of just pouring the perfume on the Lord, which by the way was a common practice then, she broke the vial to make sure that all of the costly perfume was poured out on the Lord.  She broke an expensive vial, and poured out all of the perfume.  She did not keep any for herself.  She gave her all to the Lord.

Some felt it was a waste to pour all of it for Jesus.  It could have been sold and the money given to the poor, they said.  Obviously they did not have the same affection for Jesus.

The second example - Judas.  Just the mention of his name does not surprise us why he was a "getter".  Just for money he was willing to betray someone who was supposedly his Lord.  Obviously, throughout the time he followed the Lord his heart was not for Jesus but for himself.  Even after being with the Son of Man, witnessing His miracles, listening to His teachings, and knowing the truth of who He really was, for a small amount of money he was willing to betray Him.

One, for the sake of love, gave all.  Not only was the woman willing to give all...she actually did.

The other, for the sake of money, was willing to give up his relationship with the Christ.

Both  had opportunities.  One had the opportunity to give to the Lord.  The other had the oppurtunity to get more of what he loved.

One showed love for the Savior.  The other showed love for money.

I wonder...Which one are we?

Our circumstances and the gospel

Philippians 1:12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel...

We know that our lives are founded and centered in the gospel when every circumstance that we go through, good or bad, turns out for the greater progress of the gospel.  In other words, no matter what we are going through, whether we are being "blessed", or are going through trials and hardships in life, it is an opportunity for us to testify of the good news of our Lord.

Paul was in prison.  He was in prison because he was sharing and spreading the gospel.  You would think that his circumstances would have stopped him from sharing.  That's what the Roman officials and Jewish leaders were hoping for.  But that wasn't what happened.  Paul just kept on preaching, probably even to the guards who were assigned to him.  Not only that, his imprisonment emboldened other believers to keep sharing the gospel!  

Why?  The gospel has nothing to do with our circumstances.  Many religions, "spiritual" teachings and philosophies are rooted in our circumstances.  And this, sadly, is what people look for.  Anything to keep their lives blessed and abundant.  The moment this doesn't happen they lose faith in that philosophy or teaching.  Sadly this also happens with those who follow Christ.  If this is the case then they have followed Christ for the wrong reason.  The gospel has nothing to do whether our lives improve or not, whether or not we find what we're looking for, whether we have trials or not.

The good news is about God reconciling us to Himself.  He who was offended by our sinfulness graciously provided the solution by sending us His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins.  This is the first problem of man that we should seek a solution for - not our lifestyle or our problems, but our state before Him.  Because we have offended Him there is a price to pay for that - eternal death.  But the Son of God lovingly and willingly gave His life and paid the penalty for us.  Because of His sacrifice, when we believe in what He did by faith, we are reconciled.  This is the good news!

And no matter what our circumstances are, they should serve as a pathway for the greater progress of the gospel.

If we are "blessed" it's not because we deserve it, but because by His grace we were reconciled to God and now are open to His blessings.

If we have trials or hardships this does not change our love and faith in our Savior, for He has already shown the utmost expression of His love - by dying on the cross for us as payment for our sins.  And we know that these experiences in life are simply God's tools in forming our Christ like character.

Are our circumstances turning out for the greater progress of the gospel?

Why make disciples?

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NASB)

For three years it was all about Jesus.  The disciples walked with Him, listened to His teachings, saw His miraculous signs, and eventually believed that He was the Messiah.  But now He was about to ascend back to His rightful place - at the right hand of the Father.  And He leaves them with a command - go and make disciples of all nations.  Not just their neighbors, or their fellow Jews, but of all nations.  After seeing what Jesus went through - the persecution, the ridicule, and the crucifixion, now they are being commanded to finish the work that He had started.  I don't know about you, but I would be terrified.  And I'm sure, initially, the disciples were terrified, if not for the two statements that "sandwiched" the command to make disciples.

First, Jesus said "all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth".  Now that He had accomplished what He was sent to do Jesus was going back to who He actually was, and still is...the King of heaven and earth.  It was this King who was commanding His disciples to accomplish a task that seemed humanly impossible.  And all they were expected to do was obey.

This is the same King who commands us today to make disciples.  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.  Do we recognize this authority?  Do we realize who is asking us to go and make disciples?  It is the King Himself, our King, the One who died and rose again for our sins, and now lives and reigns forever!

Will we obey our King's command to make disciples?  Will we go wherever He wants us to go?  Will we disciple whom He sends us?  Will we begin with our family, our friends, officemates, classmates?

Next, Jesus ends by saying "I am with you always, even to the end of the age".  Isn't that assuring?  There is nothing more assuring than God telling us that as we obey His command for us to make disciples He will be with us forever.

God does not leave us on our own.  Yes, making disciples is a command.  But He promises that He will be with us, to strengthen us, to give us the wisdom and guidance we need.

All He waits for is our obedience.

Are we making disciples?  Do we realize who is commanding us to do this?  And do we realize the assurance He is giving us that He will be with us until the end of the age as we obey His command to make disciples?