Sermon Central
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Finding God In Your Devastation Series
Contributed by A.t. Stewart on Aug 27, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: Even in times of extreme devastation we can find soul satisfaction through focusing on God. David shows us how in this Psalm.
FINDING GOD IN YOUR DEVASTATION
PS 63
I. IMAGINE THIS SITUATION
You are startled in the middle of the night with the ringing of your phone. Your heart is pounding as you think “Something must be awfully wrong. On the other end of the phone is the familiar voice of a trusted family friend.
His voice is frantic. He tells you your adult son is coming over with some of his gang members to kill you. You must get out immediately.
The sad thing is you are not totally surprised. You have been estranged from this son. You have not spoken to him for several years because He has as murdered another of your sons his half-brother. He had killed him in revenge because your son had raped their sister your daughter. This son was always a hot-head growing up, prone to violence.
You really believe he is coming in anger and hatred to murder you. You jump out of bed and grab your car keys, jump in the car and get out of there as fast as you can.
No wallet, no credit cards, no cash, only the clothes on your back.
You cannot go to another family members house because you do not want to put them in danger.
You have already been to the police and they said they could not do anything until he actually does something.
G. Your mind is racing, you are frantic—what do you do where do you go? You are so tired you pull into a rest area to get some rest.
H. In that moment of quietness—your situation comes crashing down on you!
I. What a shambles your life is in!
1.You have had a daughter raped by her half-brother
2. You have had a son murdered by his own half-brother.
3. This son is out to kill you!
4. You think, “God, where did I go wrong?”
5. Then it hits you—you started this chain of reactions by that affair you had years ago.
6, You opened the door for sin to ravage your family.
7. Much of the blame falls at your doorstep!
J. How would you feel?
1. Devastated?
2. Suicidal?
K. Do you think you could find any soul satisfaction in God at that moment?
1. What would you think if I said—not only could you but I will show you exactly how you could!
2. I know you could because King David found soul satisfaction in just this situation.
3. The how is found in our Ps 63.
READ PS 63
II. WE ALL GO THROUGH DEVASTATING TIMES (1-2)
The background for this Ps is David’s tragic life.
1. He wrote this psalm as he was fleeing from his son Absalom was seeking to murder him and take over his kingdom.
2. When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he opened the door for sin to ravage his family—and it did.
3. His son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar
4. Absalom in revenge for his sister’s rape killed Amnon.
5. For years David banished him and refused to forgive him or speak to him.
6. Now Absalom has gathered an army and is out to kill his father David and take over his kingdom.
7. David flees for his life—not knowing if he will lose everything—even his life.
B. David describes his devastation. (1-2)
1. He is thirsty for God!
*There is a deep longing in his soul.
*There is an aching.
*He is hurting—crying.
—his own son wants to murder him
—to take over his kingdom
*Like a man stranded in the desert—dying of thirst, David thirst for God.
2. He yearns for God.
*He longs for God
*There is a deep longing in his soul for God
*His life is falling apart
*he is fleeing as a fugitive for his life
*He says “O, God, You are my God, I seek you earnestly, I long for you.”
3. David is spiritually dry and weary—
“In a dry and weary land where there is no water.”
*As David looks out over the barren, desolate, dry Judean Wilderness—he thinks “That’s what my soul is like.”
*”God, I am dying here”
*My soul is dry
*I am weary—tired—ready to quit!
*Have you noticed in some of our most devastating times we feel spiritually dry?
Illus. My Dad’s death—could not feel God anywhere
Like my prayers were not going anywhere!
4. David was devastated—He was lonely, longing for a sense of God.
B. We all experience times of devastation.
1. Hopefully no one here has experienced the devastation David did.
2.Yet, we have all experience a measure of devastation.
*at the death of a loved one—parent—spouse—death of a child
*break up of a marriage/home
*loss of a job
*health—find out we have some awful disease
*child’s sinful behavior
*all of these leave us devastated!
