Scripture: Psalm 42:11 – “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him,my help and my God.” (NRSVue)
One thing that sticks with me far more than it should is mockery. One example that always sticks with me comes from the 2007 New England Patriots season. Like most New Englanders I was excited for the Patriots to complete a perfect 19-0 season by winning the Super Bowl. It seemed a fait accompli that the Patriots would win over the lowly New York Giants who barely scraped into the playoffs. As we all know, the Patriots lost the game. I remember that night with frustration and disappointment, but in time, I knew I would put it behind me. There is always next year.
However, I collect comic books, and the back of nearly every single issue for the next year had an advertisement for “Got Milk” with Michael Strahan, the star for the New York Giants, pointing and laughing. 99% of people from outside of New England were rooting for the Giants, so it made sense for the comics to embrace that feeling of vindication that so many people were feeling. But it made it seem like a good friend was laughing it my every week. It made the loss fresh every time I picked up something that was supposed to provide some entertainment and escapism.
Despite our passions, the ups and downs of the local sports teams rarely matter in our lives outside of how we bond with others over shared passions. But when it comes to God, the scoffing stops being funny. Psalm 42 is one of the most moving texts in the Bible. It speaks of a longing for God and compares that longing to a deer stumbling through the wilderness, desperate for water. This desire for God is comes from a place of despair and isolation, one in which only God can help. In one of the more evocative passages, the psalmist laments, “My tears have been my food day and night.” There is some uncertainty as to why the psalmist feels hopeless, but no matter what the problem is, he receives no aid from those around him, only scorn. “People say to me continually, ‘Where is your God?’”
Think about a problem in your life. Are your friends and neighbors supportive of you? I would hope so. If you got cancer or your house burned down, they would probably be there for you. But what if they were not? What if you suffered from something that carried a stigma? Maybe you are addicted to alcohol or drugs or maybe you are obese and unable to lose that weight. People might call you a “wino”, a “crackhead” or a “fatso.” They might assume you were lazy, weak, or stupid to fall into those situations, and therefore deserve scorn, perhaps pity, but certainly not support or encouragement.
This is where God becomes so important, for God is the one who helps us when no one else does. It can be hard to notice this. There are times where you are like that deer stumbling for any touch or hope or mercy. But faith can pull you through. Even after enumerating his sense of loss and hopelessness, the psalmist concludes, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.” Remembering God, you too can look up from your despair, knowing that you are not alone. In this season where we welcome Jesus into the world at Christmas, remember that one of the greatest names for the Christ Child is Emmanuel, for we are reminded that no matter what the circumstance, God is always with us.
Prayer: God, help me to look up and find you in my times of greatest need, and grant me the hope to see beyond my tears and the courage to take one more step. Amen.
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