Ex Nihilo

Over the years, I have met many people who had gifts and graces that might have led them into the calling of ministry.  Their way with words was compelling.  People liked them and were willing to follow them on a quest.  They seemed to have what Ezekiel called "a fire in the belly" for sharing the Good News of the Gospel.  But there was a problem.  Life, bumps in the road, and (worst of all) comfort happened.  Pastors call these people MIA.  They might have been captured by the lures of the enemy.  They might have counted the cost of following and decided they didn't want to pay that cost.  They may have become distracted.  But I think the most frequent issue (in my experience) is that they loved their place in life more than they loved God.

Life is a test.  David, in Psalm 63, is in a great test.  God's word says, "The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13)."  The King runs to the Wilderness of Judah (he is unwilling to allow Jerusalem to become a battleground).  And Psalm 63 becomes a lament about his situation, a song of longing and praise to God, and a shout of faith that God will bring David victory over his enemies.

In David's situation, he has nothing to count on except God.  But David also knows that our God is an "Ex Nihilo" God.  The Latin term means "from nothing."  Ex Nihilo describes how God created all that exists from nothing (let the anti-creationist try that!).  And these are the kinds of tests that either bring out our despair or our faith.  2 Samuel says, "The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness (2 Samuel 17:29)." David and his followers left Jerusalem with little or nothing.  But David knows where to place his faith.  "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. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.

You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you,  meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely (Psalm 63:1-8)."

The people who enter ministry generally enter it with nothing.  And we, whether in our personal life or our service to our church, have a propensity to see ourselves as having few resources to accomplish the work we see ahead; we need to remember David's lesson here.  We have a great God.  So, we seek God, our source of living water in "this parched and weary land."  We have seen God's power and glory, and we have been to His Sanctuary.  God, not what we have, is our source of help.  So we can rest securely in the shadow of His wings.  As the song says, "He will hold me fast!"  AMEN?  AMEN!!!!!