Episode 29: Psalm 107:9
Transcription
Today’s verse is Psalm 107:9
For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Let’s pray together.
This is my daily prayer, Father: satiate me with Your Presence. I think most of us live with a deep and abiding hunger, yearning for whatever will make us happy and content. We try so many different ways to fill this need in us and it never works. We try wealth, we try pleasure, we try people, we try power, we try competence, we try creativity, we try self-care, but nothing ever fully does what we are trying to make it. The simple truth is, LORD, we need You.
Jesus, fill our souls with good things. Not just good things, but the things You designed for us. You created us, knit us together in the womb, and so you know us best. You have wonderful things in store for us, unique things that no one else will be satisfied with. They all come from You, as every good and perfect gift does, coming down from our Father. I want to savor them like a kid on Christmas morning, knowing the waiting is over and my need is being gratified. Help me rip open the wrapping on my presents, begin playing with them unashamedly, and, unlike a child, may I never be tired of them.
As I make my way through today, trying my best to control everything, judging how others do it, wanting to somehow make my own life better, teach me to wait for You. Teach me how You and You alone can satisfy the longing in my life. Speak to me, let me hear You, speak to me in the words I read, the speech of others, the circumstances I find myself in. We can so easily doubt Your voice, so easily crowd it out with other influences or our own stubbornness. Penetrate the wall we have built around us. Storm the castle! I want to be conquered by Your love and given the rich benefits of being Your child, despite having scorned them, despite not earning them, despite not deserving them.
You know, God, the longings each of us have. Someone today might be desperately lonely in their singleness, someone else might be overwhelmed by the responsibility of being a parent. Maybe today there is someone who is grieving a terrible loss or someone else suffocated by an unbearable work situation. Whether you are in perfect harmony with all of God’s creatures or you would rather never see another soul as long as you live, today, let God in. Let Him fill you up with His goodness, His rich mercy, His truth, His wisdom, His direction, His peace. Breathe deeply knowing He is able to destroy all that harms You, to protect You, to hold all the crazy threads in His capable hands. He will show you the right way to go, provide the things and people you need to get there, and He will be with you every step of the way. The LORD never fails.
There are so many ways that we rebel against You, God. So many directions to run from Your grace. Help us not to run. Help us not to fight. Destroy fear in us. Instill Your truth in us. We submit to You today, to Your Sovereignty. We ask You to show us how good You are and how capable You are of taking care of us. Help us to submit our pride to You, laying it down at Your feet. Let us receive instead the full bounty of Your satiating Presence. Let us be satisfied with being relationship with You. Whether You are Father, Brother, LORD, Lover, Friend today, be our Shepherd in all things.
When it seems impossible to us, it is not impossible to You. When it seems overlong to us, You know the perfect time. When it seems like we would do it better, You know best. Let us be wise and attend to this message from Your word. Let us reflect on and consider how steadfast Your love is. Even when we abandon You, You do not abandon us. You are right there, waiting, eager to bestow on us Your love. You always want to restore us to our place at Your side and to fill us with every good thing You lovingly created for us. Let us receive and let us be thankful and never, ever forget Your mighty and enduring love.
I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
