Introduction - When we are in a situation where everything we depend on from the outside is snatched away, we have only one place to go - and that is inside. David understood that he could go on without the outward treasure that made his life so comfortable, but he could not make it if his inward treasure that gave him peace of mind was gone. So in the shadows of the sand mounds and the solitude of the isolation in the desert, he sought the face of God. He had stopped running and ceased fighting. His hysteria had subsided, and he entered into a quiet place to call for God’s presence
This text delineates how David refreshed himself and recaptured his excitement, his enthusiasm, and his fervor for the concerns of God. The desert became his place where he turned to God.
And as the Spirit shines his light on the text we find David discovering streams in the desert. We see how he drew forth refreshing water for his dry, parched soul. All of us need a special place where we can draw aside, close the door to the world and feed on the resources of God for our lives.
The church is filled with awesomely tremendous people - those who are willing to sacrifice, persevere, share, witness, love, and care - but a people who are mentally and spiritually fatigued in the midst of the desert.
Spiritual fatigue is real. We’re tired. I’m tired. There’s a weariness of spirit and soul. In the midst of all this, somehow or another we have found ourselves in the desert. Many of us have exhausted ourselves. You can remember a time when you came to church with expectancy, realizing that God was going to move supernaturally. Now many show up, sitting with hollow eyes and empty hearts in a wilderness of weariness. It wasn’t our intention to be in the desert. It never is, but we found ourselves going more for God and spending less time with Him in the process. All output and no input make a desert - pouring out our energy to do things.
How do we recapture the ecstasy, the excitement, and the enjoyment? How do we do the right things with the right relationship? When we begin to retreat to the desert, we have plenty of contacts but few relationships. We do a lot, but we miss the fervent spirit in which we ought to be moving.
1. If you are going to discover streams in the desert you need A SACRED PLACE. There where no temples in the desert, but he remembered the sanctuary, the precious place of worship set apart for him to worship God. You do not exit the desert doing things for God! You exit the desert by being focused on the heart of God.
We have become an arrogant, self-righteous people. We have lost track of the sacred place where we touch God. There is fatigue associated with intimidation and defeat, and there is weariness with being drained by people who seek to dominate our lives. Fatigue is often affiliated with warfare, especially when we often wage war in our own strength. David was worn out. Isolation and terrible loneliness feed fatigue. And sooner or later, every one of us will feel betrayed and isolated. We must find the sacred place where we can focus our attention on God.
2. But David mentioned that we need A SECLUDED PLACE. Most of us are leery of that place. We want people around us with busyness and activity. To be isolated alone with God is somehow a frightening prospect to many people. But David says that we need a secluded place. When he had insomnia - or when he chose not to sleep - in that secluded, secret place he meditated on God.
Many of us use that secret to refuel our bitterness, as a place to erect our defenses so we can protect ourselves and strategize our anger and retaliation. But is should be a place of renewal. There we reflect upon the times that God has helped us.
3. But our sacred, secluded place transforms into A SAFE PLACE. As David began to think about a safe place of protection where he could experience a refreshing relationship with God, he thought about the wings of a bird. We will often find birds in the desert riding the current, spiraling his prey, circling his landing, plunging from the sky, and hovering over its babies. To discover his oases, he considered the bird’s wing.
The wings represents the warmth and refuge. We all need a safe place of refuge, trust, and protection where we can just let go and let God.
4. But he says that we need a SECURE PLACE. The only secure place in an insecure world is in the hands of God. In him there is confidence. Now David’s self-esteem had taken a dive, but he declared the hand of God secured him.
David was in the desert. The king. The spiritual, political leader, but he confessed that the only safe place was in the master’s hands.
Conclusion - We must slip our spirit into the hands of God who said "I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. It isn’t important that you impress other people. When you find yourself in your desert, it might be the best place in the world for you to be. Through the isolation of the desert you can reach out and rediscover God.
