Nina Smit

O God, You are my God; I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. I follow close behind You; Your strong right hand holds me securely.

~ Psalm 63:1-2, 8

David wrote Psalm 63 when he was alone in the desert. In this psalm he yearns for the Lord’s presence. He wants to be close to Him and longs for His support. He lies awake at night, thinking about God and meditating on Him (v. 7). When the psalmist is in God’s presence like this, five things in particular become clear to him:

God helps him, protects him, supports Him. His unfailing love is worth more to him than life itself and he always wants to stay close to God. This is why he wants to worship and praise God. God can always be found by those who search for Him. If you want to draw closer to God, make time to think about Him, to speak to Him and read His Word. As soon as you set time aside for God, you discover that God is always there for you, that He will help and protect you, that He supports you in everything you do, and you become intensely aware of His omnipotence and greatness. Then, like the psalmist, you will also want to lift up your hands to God in prayer, praising Him!

Lord God, I long for Your presence in my life; I want to stay close to You and think about You. I praise You that You are always available to help and protect me. Amen