My Soul is Satisfied

Psalm 63 is attributed to David, and it is a heartfelt prayer: “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you… as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

Maybe you know what that feels like—to be spiritually dry. David continues, “I will lift up my hands and call on your name.”
So there is a longing and a crying out…

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul claims that as God’s children, we can cry out to him, “Abba—Father.” Scholars tell us Abba could be translated, “daddy…” It implies an intimate relationship, a relationship that invites heartfelt, open, honest words…

But there is more here. David goes on to write, “I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.”

I have looked upon you—beholding, noticing, being aware… This too is prayer, isn’t it?

He continues: My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast… when I think about you… and meditate on you in the watches of the night…
My soul is satisfied… as with a rich feast… when I meditate on you…
That’s a pretty bold claim!

In other words, there is something about prayer, meditation, being in the presence of the Creator that fills and nourishes the soul.

So much of our society is focused on action, doing. We ask: What are we accomplishing? What are we doing? What are the numbers? And for me personally, this is ordinarily my way of being. I like to be doing. I like to be moving. I even have a hard time watching movies or TV. But I’ve also become more and more aware that if I never stop and center, I can so easily lose my inner grounding and sense of peace. I can so easily forget why I do what I do. I find myself anxious, distracted, not sure why I’m reacting to people instead of responding to them out of love…

When we read the gospels, we see how Jesus steeped his life and ministry in prayer. He continues to break away from the crowds, break away from the teaching, the healing, even from his friends, to spend time apart with God. He is nourished and strengthened through that time. He is then able to go back out to meet the needs of the world.

So, that’s my prayer for you all today: that you would carve out time for prayer, to center and ground your life, and allow your soul to be fed.

Let us pray: Holy God, there are so many voices pulling us in different directions. We are grateful for just a moment of centering in your presence. As we pause in your presence, heal us, renew us, and fill us with your peace. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.