An Oasis in the Desert

Psalms 63

David writes this Psalm, not in the sanctuary, but in the desert. He is on the run from his son Absalom, and he longs for the sanctuary of God. He desires to behold the beauty of the Lord. Just think, if God has an overwhelming beauty in the sanctuary, how much more beautiful is God in the backdrop of a dry and barren desert. Is that not when we see the beauty of Christ the most in our life? Is that not when his light shines the brightest? It should be, but most of the time we miss it because we are focusing on the desert and not looking at the son!

Charles’s Spurgeon in his Treasury of David commentary on this Psalms said that” David carefully made his worship suitable to his circumstances, and presented to his God a wilderness hymn when he was in the wilderness.” When David could not go to the Sanctuary, he made a sanctuary in the desert. This is a great lesson for us as followers of Jesus. We have to remember that we are a sanctuary, a habitation for Gods Spirit. Paul said that “We are the temple of God… and we are to glorify God in our body and in our spirit which is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19,20) When we realize that “Christ is in us then we have the hope of glory in any situation. (Colossians 1:27)

Spurgeon would go on to say of David that “There was no desert in his heart, though there was a desert around him.” In other words, David had something within him that flourished in a barren situation of his life. Therefore, he concludes “Thy loving kindness is better than life.” It reminds us that when life is hard, God is good! He will be nothing but good and do nothing but good in the midst of bad people and bad situations.

David found an oasis in the desert. An oasis is a fertile spot in the desert where water can be found. He did not have to look far or long for it, he just had to look within! Right now, you may feel like David and feel so far away from God. There may be situations in your life right now that has made you feel like God has forgotten you or forsaken you. But it is in those moments that God is nearer to you than you think. He is not only with you but is within you! Jesus said “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38

Pastor Robby