Feature Article
Restore My Soul
Part 1: My Soul Thirsts for You (A Meditation on Psalm 63)
by Chris Treneer
O
God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my
body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. -Psalm 63:1
In Psalm 63, David writes from the Desert of Judah. He is also in a spiritual desert, driven by his thirst to seek God, to restore his soul, his joy, his trust, his love. "My soul thirsts for You."
In 1973, I was going through my own spiritual desert. As Psalm 118:13,14 (RSV) describes it, "I was pushed hard, so that I was falling . . . " Several circumstances pressed me to the limit:
In
Mark 3, Jesus said to the man with a withered hand, "stretch out your
hand." Which hand do you think he stretched out? Of course, he extended
his withered hand, because he wanted to be healed. In contrast,
however, I often want to keep my withered hand well hidden-to conceal
the pain, the difficulties, and struggles of my life.
This is where I would like to begin in thinking about what it means to "restore our souls." The first step is to recognize our soul's pain or thirst-as David did in Psalm 63. I used to think that thirsting for God would be a wonderful, warm, comforting, devotional feeling. Then I remembered when the whole family was on a long drive in Africa, miles from anywhere-and no drinking water. Thirst is not a pleasant sensation!
Soul thirst may be due to discontent because I am surrounded by fallen people and a broken world; discontent with myself, my sinfulness, and mortality; or spiritual weariness. Like David, we live in a spiritually dry land, with the world around us desperately trying to quench their thirst with everything but the Water of Life.
We also live in a weary land. People are tired, not just physically but in the depths of their souls. We have created a society in which success is measured in a never-ending drive for accomplishment and the ceaseless activity drains our souls of meaning and refreshment. We need to remember the promise of Matthew 11:28,29: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me . . . and you will find rest for your souls.
David doesn't stop with acknowledging his spiritual thirst, but expresses his confident expectation that his "soul will be satisfied" because I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied . . . (vv. 2-5). To David, the sanctuary is where he is able to see God, to fix his inner eye on God Himself.
Where is your sanctuary? Where do you go to focus, to "see" God? Each of us needs to learn what restores and refreshes our soul. Perhaps it is a place of quiet solitude where you can reflect on Scripture; the countryside where you can enjoy God's creation and lift your heart in prayer; worshiping with like-hearted people. But for these places to be a true refuge, they must be where we can focus on God Himself-the only one who can restore and satisfy our soul.
Chris Treneer is the wife of The Navigators' International Director, Mike Treneer. She was born in Kampala, Uganda, the daughter of missionary parents. Chris enjoys small group ministry and coming alongside other women to encourage them in their lives and walks with God. This is part one of a message she gave at the National Staff Conference for Women in April. Part two will be in our next edition of Windows.
Part 1: My Soul Thirsts for You (A Meditation on Psalm 63)
by Chris Treneer
O
God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my
body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. -Psalm 63:1In Psalm 63, David writes from the Desert of Judah. He is also in a spiritual desert, driven by his thirst to seek God, to restore his soul, his joy, his trust, his love. "My soul thirsts for You."
In 1973, I was going through my own spiritual desert. As Psalm 118:13,14 (RSV) describes it, "I was pushed hard, so that I was falling . . . " Several circumstances pressed me to the limit:
- The death of a colleague and close friend, Pat Spivey.
- The birth of our first daughter, Ruth, after a very long and difficult labor.
- Developing mononucleosis two months after Ruth was born.
- A busy student ministry based in our home and the pressure under which we put ourselves to serve the Lord.
- Pressure from within to "keep up appearances" as I began to struggle-further complicated by my unwillingness to be open and "real" about what I was experiencing.
In
Mark 3, Jesus said to the man with a withered hand, "stretch out your
hand." Which hand do you think he stretched out? Of course, he extended
his withered hand, because he wanted to be healed. In contrast,
however, I often want to keep my withered hand well hidden-to conceal
the pain, the difficulties, and struggles of my life.This is where I would like to begin in thinking about what it means to "restore our souls." The first step is to recognize our soul's pain or thirst-as David did in Psalm 63. I used to think that thirsting for God would be a wonderful, warm, comforting, devotional feeling. Then I remembered when the whole family was on a long drive in Africa, miles from anywhere-and no drinking water. Thirst is not a pleasant sensation!
Soul thirst may be due to discontent because I am surrounded by fallen people and a broken world; discontent with myself, my sinfulness, and mortality; or spiritual weariness. Like David, we live in a spiritually dry land, with the world around us desperately trying to quench their thirst with everything but the Water of Life.
We also live in a weary land. People are tired, not just physically but in the depths of their souls. We have created a society in which success is measured in a never-ending drive for accomplishment and the ceaseless activity drains our souls of meaning and refreshment. We need to remember the promise of Matthew 11:28,29: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me . . . and you will find rest for your souls.
David doesn't stop with acknowledging his spiritual thirst, but expresses his confident expectation that his "soul will be satisfied" because I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied . . . (vv. 2-5). To David, the sanctuary is where he is able to see God, to fix his inner eye on God Himself.
Where is your sanctuary? Where do you go to focus, to "see" God? Each of us needs to learn what restores and refreshes our soul. Perhaps it is a place of quiet solitude where you can reflect on Scripture; the countryside where you can enjoy God's creation and lift your heart in prayer; worshiping with like-hearted people. But for these places to be a true refuge, they must be where we can focus on God Himself-the only one who can restore and satisfy our soul.
Chris Treneer is the wife of The Navigators' International Director, Mike Treneer. She was born in Kampala, Uganda, the daughter of missionary parents. Chris enjoys small group ministry and coming alongside other women to encourage them in their lives and walks with God. This is part one of a message she gave at the National Staff Conference for Women in April. Part two will be in our next edition of Windows.