September 25, 2009
ALL EXCESS IS ROOTED IN EMPTINESS
Psalm 102
Katie Rosebraugh
Central Truth
This psalm is a prayer of a man in extreme need of God's intensive care. He pours his heart out to God letting him know exactly how bad he feels. Bottom line: We can trust God to help us in this generation just as He did in past generations.
Key Verse | Psalm 102:7
I stay awake;
I am like a solitary bird on a roof.
(Psalm 102:7)
Psalm 102
Do Not Hide Your Face from Me
A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD.
1
Hear my prayer, O LORD;
let my cry come to you!
2
Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!
3
For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
4
My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
I forget to eat my bread.
5
Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my flesh.
6
I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
like an owl
1
102:6
The precise identity of these birds is uncertain
of the waste places;
7
I lie awake;
I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
8
All the day my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
9
For I eat ashes like bread
and mingle tears with my drink,
10
because of your indignation and anger;
for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
11
My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
12
But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations.
13
You will arise and have pity on Zion;
it is the time to favor her;
the appointed time has come.
14
For your servants hold her stones dear
and have pity on her dust.
15
Nations will fear the name of the LORD,
and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
16
For the LORD builds up Zion;
he appears in his glory;
17
he regards the prayer of the destitute
and does not despise their prayer.
18
Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
19
that he looked down from his holy height;
from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
20
to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to set free those who were doomed to die,
21
that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,
and in Jerusalem his praise,
22
when peoples gather together,
and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
23
He has broken my strength in midcourse;
he has shortened my days.
24
“O my God,” I say, “take me not away
in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
throughout all generations!”
25
Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26
They will perish, but you will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
27
but you are the same, and your years have no end.
28
The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
their offspring shall be established before you.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 102
I felt a certain kinship with the psalmist when I read the first 11 verses. The comparison to the lonely bird stood out to me. We've all been there. Like most of our human troubles, it all started in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve broke fellowship with God by sinning against Him, it caused them to go into hiding and avoid the one relationship that could satisfy their souls.
But God does not want us living in this isolated, alienated, disconnected state because it can lead to destructive consequences. For instance, some may tolerate an unhealthy relationship or seek a relationship outside of marriage in a desperate attempt to escape loneliness. Or sometimes, people will behave or dress inappropriately to try to get the attention and love they desperately seek. Loneliness can get so bad that it drives some people to suicide.
I believe that all excess is rooted in emptiness. Think about it. Some people can't drink enough, can't spend enough, can't eat enough, can't do enough drugs, can't make enough money, or can't have enough sex to fill the hole in their souls. That's because it's a God-shaped hole. Nothing but God can fill it. Trying to fill it with anything else leaves us empty and wanting more.
While searching for a cure for this misery, I found my notes on a sermon about loneliness by Dr. Charles Stanley. Dr. Stanley said that there are five steps to overcoming loneliness. First, we need to recognize our loneliness. Loneliness is not a sign of weakness or inadequacy. Denying it only makes us feel even more isolated. Second, reconcile with God by confessing any sin in our life. Third, recall God's promises, they remind us that we are not alone. Fourth, reach out and develop godly relationships. Fifth, refocus our attention outside of ourselves. Overcoming loneliness is not a one-time battle. But putting these five steps into practice will help drive these feelings from your life. It has made a huge difference in this lonely bird's life. Having a little dog around helps, too.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you have any undesirable behaviors that could be coming from a sense of isolation, alienation, or loneliness?
2. Do you have a stock pile of ammunition in the form of Scriptures locked and loaded to use against feelings of extreme loneliness?
3. Do you think the availability of modern technology such as mobile phones, computers, and the Internet has added to or taken away from our sense of isolation?