WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.879
 I was a country pastor during some very severe years of drought in the early 1990s

00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:10.120
 and I learnt a lot coming out of the city.

00:00:11.200 --> 00:00:13.220
 I learnt to appreciate rain.

00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:20.900
 I learnt not to stick my head out the window on another cold, cloudy, overcast, rainy day

00:00:20.900 --> 00:00:23.440
 and say, lousy weather.

00:00:25.060 --> 00:00:28.359
 I lived among people whose faces lit up when it was wet.

00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:32.799
 People would come into town, they'd have time for a talk and a cuppa.

00:00:33.659 --> 00:00:39.879
 They would compare their rain gauge readings with joy, excitement, competitiveness

00:00:39.879 --> 00:00:43.060
 and sometimes with great thankfulness to God.

00:00:44.620 --> 00:00:48.140
 Drought brings deathly despair.

00:00:49.780 --> 00:00:52.980
 Day after day of endless blue sky.

00:00:54.539 --> 00:00:57.500
 Crops come out of the ground and they wither and die.

00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:01.019
 Animals expire in the paddock.

00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:04.780
 A lamb is not worth much but cattle are.

00:01:05.780 --> 00:01:09.140
 And you see their carcasses withered and dead in the paddock

00:01:09.140 --> 00:01:13.420
 and you know that something terrible is quietly going on.

00:01:13.420 --> 00:01:17.200
 Hope dies.

00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:17.760
 Hope dies.

00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:21.079
 Uncertainty prevails.

00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:24.140
 And despair grows.

00:01:24.140 --> 00:01:30.900
 Now as the drought grew longer I called a prayer meeting out towards Walcott in the community of Burren Junction

00:01:30.900 --> 00:01:35.019
 and I advertised it as praying for people in drought.

00:01:36.540 --> 00:01:39.960
 And nearly a hundred people came in from farms out around the community

00:01:39.960 --> 00:01:44.420
 and I wanted them to hear one another's stories and to pray for one another.

00:01:44.420 --> 00:01:52.000
 Clearly everybody wanted it to rain but I thought it was important to support one another through the despair.

00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:54.739
 The meeting began.

00:01:55.480 --> 00:02:00.500
 We heard some pretty torrid stories from people about how the drought was impacting them.

00:02:01.900 --> 00:02:06.960
 And then a very prominent man in the community, a shire counsellor who wasn't a Christian man,

00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:11.939
 rose to his feet and aggressively and impatiently said,

00:02:11.939 --> 00:02:13.579
 So when are we going to pray for rain?

00:02:13.620 --> 00:02:14.719
 That's what we've come for.

00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:25.099
 Now unbeknown to me, he got on ABC radio that morning and told people that we were going to pray for rain.

00:02:27.359 --> 00:02:33.719
 And I said we have come to pray for people and we will ask God for rain.

00:02:35.340 --> 00:02:41.740
 My vision was to support people and to urge them to trust in God even if it never rained.

00:02:41.939 --> 00:02:45.120
 Run to God, not run from God.

00:02:48.939 --> 00:02:54.800
 The shire counsellor wanted God to fix the mess, to meet his needs.

00:02:55.579 --> 00:03:01.079
 God, get me out of this time so that I can get on with my life without you.

00:03:05.180 --> 00:03:08.579
 A lot of people are really happy to look to God in a difficult time.

00:03:08.680 --> 00:03:09.780
 They want him to fix things.

00:03:09.900 --> 00:03:10.539
 Somebody dies.

00:03:10.659 --> 00:03:11.639
 Something terrible happens.

00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:13.379
 Everybody says I'm praying for you.

00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:16.799
 We want stuff from God but we don't want him.

00:03:20.899 --> 00:03:22.699
 True people of faith are different.

00:03:24.419 --> 00:03:25.659
 We want God.

00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:31.599
 We want him much more than we want the things that he gives to us.

00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:40.519
 And Psalm 42, this wonderful psalm, is a song which is written by a person who is hungry for God.

00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:48.539
 And I discovered that as I prepared that you can't preach this psalm properly without preaching Psalm 43 as well.

00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:53.759
 The two go together and in some of the ancient Hebrew manuscripts they are one song.

00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:57.000
 And you'll see as I speak what it is that links them.

00:03:57.000 --> 00:04:00.000
 And so it begins.

00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:20.540
 So this psalmist, this songwriter, he longs to be in God's presence.

00:04:20.540 --> 00:04:22.060
 He wants to meet with him.

00:04:22.280 --> 00:04:28.720
 Some of my favourite verses in all the Bible are verses which express a longing for God.

00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:32.420
 So you go into Philippians 3, verses 10 and 11.

00:04:32.420 --> 00:04:48.360
 The sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus said,

00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:52.900
 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.

00:04:53.840 --> 00:04:56.040
 The invitational language of Jesus,

00:04:56.040 --> 00:05:00.759
 Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.

00:05:02.420 --> 00:05:08.879
 Pascal famously said,

00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:17.240
 There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing,

00:05:17.740 --> 00:05:21.840
 but only by God the Creator made known through Jesus Christ.

00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:26.700
 And he's saying something that I think we all know,

00:05:26.819 --> 00:05:31.319
 that people long for something or someone who is bigger than us.

00:05:32.420 --> 00:05:37.259
 And as life goes on, we realise that life is not all that it's cracked up to be.

00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:45.920
 We're told that we're the centre of our world and we learn from a tsunami or an earthquake or a death or a job loss or an illness

00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:48.259
 that we actually control very little.

00:05:48.259 --> 00:05:59.639
 What makes you feel a long way from God and lonely for him?

00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:05.159
 Sin does it for me.

00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:13.539
 The guilt, the unworthy feelings, sometimes even self-loathing.

00:06:13.540 --> 00:06:17.939
 Personal criticism does it as well.

00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:24.560
 Somebody points out your failures and they'll always qualify it by saying they're just trying to be constructive.

00:06:25.820 --> 00:06:33.780
 But oftentimes it's given or it's received in a way that is destructive of self-image and eroding of confidence.

00:06:33.779 --> 00:06:38.699
 Personal failure can be a terrifying moment as well.

00:06:39.859 --> 00:06:45.779
 The moment when you've done something at work that's going to cost a lot of money or time to fix.

00:06:47.479 --> 00:06:48.739
 You've made a mistake.

00:06:48.859 --> 00:06:50.199
 There's no hiding it.

00:06:50.219 --> 00:06:51.159
 It will be seen.

00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:58.340
 I am the engineer who designed a water pumping station down the south coast.

00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:04.620
 And I got a call when I was on my next job while it was being built saying,

00:07:05.620 --> 00:07:10.620
 who's the idiot engineer who specified rising spindles on the valves under the car park?

00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:18.580
 They were putting them in and they realised that they were going to have steel rods projecting through the car park

00:07:18.580 --> 00:07:20.360
 for everyone to trip on and drive over.

00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:27.300
 It wasn't my most glorious moment.

00:07:28.980 --> 00:07:32.500
 And all I could say was, it was me.

00:07:37.379 --> 00:07:39.700
 Which was a really good thing to say.

00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:44.920
 But I would still have liked a very big rock to hide under.

00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:55.180
 The songwriter's oppression and his feelings of loneliness from God is not coming from his own failures.

00:07:55.340 --> 00:07:57.259
 It's coming from external oppression.

00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:02.980
 His enemies see his circumstances, whatever they are, and we're not really sure what they are.

00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:07.100
 They know about his faith, but they're putting the boot in.

00:08:07.960 --> 00:08:09.120
 And they taunt him.

00:08:09.180 --> 00:08:11.939
 And you see it in verse 3 and you see it again in verse 10.

00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:13.240
 Where's your God?

00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:17.840
 Where's your God?

00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:20.539
 You're the preacher.

00:08:20.539 --> 00:08:21.479
 Where's your God?

00:08:23.060 --> 00:08:27.000
 Now we've preached this series of messages from the book of Job over the last few weeks

00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:30.120
 and we saw that when Job suffered at God's hand,

00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:34.019
 his friends were the ones who became his oppressors.

00:08:37.019 --> 00:08:41.059
 People who claimed faith in God made it even harder for their brother.

00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:50.299
 But in Psalm 42 and 43, the oppressors are unbelievers, people who are outside the faith.

00:08:51.319 --> 00:08:53.059
 They don't believe in God at all.

00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:56.779
 And they're taunting the psalmist and he is hurting.

00:08:57.179 --> 00:08:58.239
 And he's saying things like,

00:08:58.319 --> 00:09:00.519
 My tears have been my food day and night,

00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:02.879
 while people are saying to me all day long,

00:09:03.119 --> 00:09:04.599
 Where is your God?

00:09:06.479 --> 00:09:09.699
 Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?

00:09:09.700 --> 00:09:14.540
 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taught me,

00:09:14.640 --> 00:09:16.520
 saying to me all day long,

00:09:16.900 --> 00:09:18.040
 Where is your God?

00:09:21.560 --> 00:09:24.200
 And so his experience, life for him,

00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:28.560
 is tears and mourning and suffering to the very bone.

00:09:30.900 --> 00:09:33.600
 And the enemies look at his situation

00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:34.860
 and they effectively say,

00:09:34.860 --> 00:09:36.800
 So much for your faith in God.

00:09:38.100 --> 00:09:39.500
 Seems to be absent.

00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:41.159
 Doesn't seem to be listening.

00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:50.080
 Because for them it's a world where God doesn't seem to make his presence known.

00:09:50.259 --> 00:09:52.700
 He doesn't seem to have anything to say.

00:09:55.500 --> 00:09:56.500
 Our world.

00:09:59.779 --> 00:10:02.139
 Christian believers and what we stand for,

00:10:02.220 --> 00:10:03.899
 more and more marginalised.

00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:07.399
 Pushed to the edges of society.

00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:11.840
 We are not even listened to in,

00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:13.539
 sometimes for good reason,

00:10:13.639 --> 00:10:15.059
 but other times for poor reason.

00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:16.559
 We're not even listened to

00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:19.519
 in some of the big picture public debates

00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:20.840
 about marriage.

00:10:22.539 --> 00:10:24.220
 As soon as you open your mouth

00:10:24.220 --> 00:10:25.740
 and you say that you are a Christian,

00:10:25.899 --> 00:10:27.840
 it is enough for people to ridicule you

00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:29.699
 without a word being heard.

00:10:29.700 --> 00:10:35.280
 So when people say,

00:10:35.520 --> 00:10:36.379
 where is your God?

00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:38.100
 It's an expression of unbelief.

00:10:39.259 --> 00:10:41.700
 How stupid to say that there is a God

00:10:41.700 --> 00:10:43.540
 who is both creator and redeemer.

00:10:44.440 --> 00:10:46.640
 How foolish to think that a God exists

00:10:46.640 --> 00:10:49.140
 who is intricately involved in our lives.

00:10:49.700 --> 00:10:51.340
 How ridiculous that God

00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:53.580
 superintends the events of our world.

00:10:53.580 --> 00:10:56.080
 These people think that they are accountable

00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:56.840
 to no one.

00:10:56.920 --> 00:10:57.440
 They mock,

00:10:57.560 --> 00:10:58.480
 where is your God?

00:11:02.280 --> 00:11:04.740
 The world can be a lonely place for a believer

00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:05.920
 and Jesus knows it.

00:11:05.980 --> 00:11:07.680
 And he says in John 15,

00:11:08.040 --> 00:11:09.500
 if the world hates you,

00:11:10.560 --> 00:11:12.800
 keep in mind that it hated me first.

00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:18.459
 I was talking to a minister the other day

00:11:18.459 --> 00:11:20.919
 who was in South Sudan earlier this year

00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:24.240
 and he was taken to a bombed out building

00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:25.679
 where 19 Arab men

00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:27.539
 were studying the scriptures.

00:11:29.500 --> 00:11:30.979
 They'd come to Christ

00:11:30.979 --> 00:11:34.759
 and they were encouraging each other as pastors

00:11:34.759 --> 00:11:38.199
 and they were preparing to go back

00:11:38.199 --> 00:11:39.479
 into the Arab North

00:11:39.479 --> 00:11:41.479
 and covertly plant churches

00:11:41.480 --> 00:11:44.659
 they were passionate for Jesus

00:11:44.659 --> 00:11:46.500
 even though it would cost them,

00:11:46.560 --> 00:11:48.240
 it could cost them their lives.

00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:51.480
 They treasure Jesus

00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:54.720
 even though their world taunts them with

00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:56.539
 where is your God?

00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:04.659
 I don't think the songwriter's looking for everything

00:12:04.659 --> 00:12:05.759
 to be right with the world

00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:07.120
 but he is hungry for God.

00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:10.440
 He wants God present in his life.

00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:14.820
 He wants to be in submission to God's purposes.

00:12:16.860 --> 00:12:19.700
 As the deer pants for streams of water

00:12:19.700 --> 00:12:22.080
 so my soul pants for you, O God.

00:12:22.680 --> 00:12:24.700
 My soul thirsts for God,

00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:26.420
 for the living God.

00:12:27.639 --> 00:12:29.920
 Where can I go and meet with God?

00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:35.179
 So his experience is loneliness,

00:12:36.599 --> 00:12:38.079
 God seems silent,

00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.099
 his enemies are delighting that there is no God.

00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:47.939
 And verse 6 tells us that he is a long way from home.

00:12:48.439 --> 00:12:51.240
 My soul is downcast within me,

00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:53.980
 therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan,

00:12:54.099 --> 00:12:55.879
 the heights of Hermon from Mount Mizar.

00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:59.360
 He's up north in the mountains near the source of the Jordan River.

00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:01.519
 He's a long way from Jerusalem,

00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:02.879
 the place of God's presence.

00:13:03.599 --> 00:13:06.360
 He can't get to church to worship with God's people.

00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:09.399
 When I'm away from church,

00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:10.259
 I miss it.

00:13:11.259 --> 00:13:12.899
 I don't miss the building,

00:13:13.019 --> 00:13:14.200
 it's inconsequential.

00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:18.180
 I miss you, the people of God.

00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:22.279
 I miss our believing staff team

00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:24.980
 and the fellowship that we have with one another.

00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:28.159
 I miss my community groups

00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:30.899
 and the place of belonging and stability

00:13:30.899 --> 00:13:32.399
 that they bring to my life.

00:13:34.060 --> 00:13:35.740
 I miss our church

00:13:35.740 --> 00:13:40.120
 because you remind me that God is near

00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:41.480
 and that he is real.

00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:44.220
 I experience Christ with you.

00:13:44.220 --> 00:13:51.259
 And so he engages in a sort of self-talk.

00:13:51.460 --> 00:13:52.920
 Verse 5 and verse 11.

00:13:53.060 --> 00:13:55.320
 Why are you downcast, my soul?

00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:57.060
 Why so disturbed within me?

00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:00.019
 He's low, he's discouraged.

00:14:00.680 --> 00:14:02.740
 He tries to lift his eyes up to God.

00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:04.279
 Put your hope in God.

00:14:04.420 --> 00:14:06.440
 I'll praise him, my saviour, my God.

00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:08.580
 It's sort of like self-effort

00:14:08.580 --> 00:14:09.860
 to get out of this low.

00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:12.740
 And he tries to use memory

00:14:12.740 --> 00:14:14.240
 to take him to another place.

00:14:14.600 --> 00:14:15.460
 So in verse 4,

00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:18.000
 I remember as I pour out my soul

00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:20.140
 how I used to go with the multitude

00:14:20.140 --> 00:14:22.600
 leading the procession to the house of God

00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:25.040
 with songs of joy and thanksgiving

00:14:25.040 --> 00:14:26.900
 amongst the festive throng.

00:14:28.220 --> 00:14:28.960
 And verse 6,

00:14:29.040 --> 00:14:30.400
 my soul is downcast,

00:14:30.500 --> 00:14:31.700
 but I will remember you.

00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:35.900
 He remembers great services

00:14:35.899 --> 00:14:37.360
 at church in the past

00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:40.120
 and what a joy and a delight they were.

00:14:41.179 --> 00:14:42.840
 I can remember gathering

00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:44.980
 with 90,000 believers

00:14:44.980 --> 00:14:47.939
 at Randwick Racecourse in April 1979.

00:14:49.879 --> 00:14:53.720
 And we heard Billy Graham preach Acts 17,

00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:56.039
 Paul at the Areopagus,

00:14:56.899 --> 00:14:57.720
 and he was saying,

00:14:57.840 --> 00:14:59.259
 for God has set a day

00:14:59.259 --> 00:15:01.539
 when he will judge the world with justice

00:15:01.539 --> 00:15:03.480
 by the man he has appointed

00:15:03.480 --> 00:15:05.980
 and he has given proof of this

00:15:05.980 --> 00:15:07.000
 to all people

00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:09.039
 by raising him from the dead.

00:15:09.139 --> 00:15:09.759
 So for me,

00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:11.360
 memory takes me back

00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.639
 to a place of joy

00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:13.560
 and delight

00:15:13.560 --> 00:15:14.320
 and wonder.

00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:20.080
 Memory is particularly important

00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:20.680
 for believers.

00:15:21.379 --> 00:15:22.620
 When Jesus came,

00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:25.800
 Jews celebrated the Passover festival

00:15:25.800 --> 00:15:27.120
 with a memorial meal.

00:15:27.180 --> 00:15:28.379
 It was a once-a-year meal.

00:15:28.379 --> 00:15:31.340
 It took them back

00:15:31.340 --> 00:15:33.279
 nearly 1,400 years

00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:33.980
 to the moment

00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:35.340
 when God rescued them

00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:36.279
 from their enemies

00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:37.939
 and saved them out of Egypt.

00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:40.600
 It was an annual reminder

00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:42.439
 of the centre of their faith.

00:15:44.939 --> 00:15:46.059
 And so Jesus,

00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:47.439
 on the night before he died,

00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:48.720
 he celebrated the meal

00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:49.620
 with his disciples.

00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:51.620
 It was the last thing

00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.539
 that he would do with them

00:15:52.539 --> 00:15:53.480
 before he died.

00:15:54.299 --> 00:15:56.059
 And he gave it a new meaning.

00:15:56.059 --> 00:15:57.819
 This bread is my body

00:15:57.819 --> 00:15:59.159
 which is given for you.

00:15:59.799 --> 00:16:01.719
 Do this in remembrance of me.

00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:04.539
 This cup is the new covenant

00:16:04.539 --> 00:16:05.299
 in my blood

00:16:05.299 --> 00:16:06.719
 which is poured out for you.

00:16:08.039 --> 00:16:10.599
 So this ancient memorial meal,

00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:12.799
 this great tradition

00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:14.899
 of the previous 1,400 years,

00:16:15.019 --> 00:16:16.179
 this annual reminder,

00:16:17.219 --> 00:16:19.059
 is completely reinterpreted

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:21.179
 by the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:16:21.819 --> 00:16:22.919
 His body broken,

00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:24.239
 his blood shed

00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:25.759
 would become the great act

00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:26.820
 of God's salvation

00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:28.779
 that Christ achieved.

00:16:30.019 --> 00:16:31.200
 And belief in it,

00:16:31.259 --> 00:16:32.500
 it defines us

00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:33.700
 as the people of God.

00:16:33.820 --> 00:16:34.720
 We remember him

00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:35.560
 and what he's done.

00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:36.940
 So when we come

00:16:36.940 --> 00:16:37.799
 to the Lord's Supper

00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:38.799
 or Holy Communion,

00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:39.960
 which we aren't doing

00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:40.480
 this morning,

00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:42.360
 it's not a magic ritual.

00:16:43.340 --> 00:16:44.820
 It's a memorial meal

00:16:44.820 --> 00:16:46.460
 which continually takes us

00:16:46.460 --> 00:16:47.759
 to the centre of our faith.

00:16:48.659 --> 00:16:49.840
 And through memory,

00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:52.560
 we draw near to Christ our God.

00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:54.579
 We remember his perfect life.

00:16:55.319 --> 00:16:57.119
 We remember his wicked death.

00:16:57.859 --> 00:16:58.979
 We remember how God

00:16:58.979 --> 00:17:00.259
 powerfully raised him

00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:00.899
 from the dead.

00:17:01.479 --> 00:17:02.959
 And we remember

00:17:02.959 --> 00:17:04.519
 how God saved us

00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:06.539
 by overcoming both our sin

00:17:06.539 --> 00:17:08.200
 and death forever.

00:17:10.579 --> 00:17:13.099
 So memory is one tool

00:17:13.099 --> 00:17:14.539
 in the songwriter's kit.

00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:19.259
 The other is in Psalm 43

00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:20.059
 and it's prayer.

00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:23.359
 There's a huge shift.

00:17:24.899 --> 00:17:26.339
 He moves from self-talk

00:17:26.339 --> 00:17:27.799
 to God-talk.

00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:30.940
 He stops talking to himself

00:17:30.940 --> 00:17:32.639
 and he starts talking to God.

00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:34.559
 Verse 1.

00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:36.700
 Vindicate me, O God.

00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:37.980
 Plead my cause

00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:39.460
 against an ungodly nation.

00:17:39.659 --> 00:17:40.440
 Rescue me

00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:42.519
 from deceitful and wicked men.

00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:45.819
 Verse 3.

00:17:46.019 --> 00:17:47.200
 Send forth your light

00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:47.900
 and your truth.

00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:49.079
 Let them guide me.

00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:50.639
 Let them bring me

00:17:50.639 --> 00:17:51.639
 to your holy mountain

00:17:51.639 --> 00:17:52.279
 to the place

00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:53.240
 where you dwell.

00:17:55.819 --> 00:17:57.200
 Can you see what happens

00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:58.000
 when he prays?

00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:00.759
 He moves from this place

00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:02.900
 of feeling distant from God

00:18:02.900 --> 00:18:03.660
 and as though God

00:18:03.660 --> 00:18:04.799
 is a long way off.

00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:07.200
 A really lonely place.

00:18:07.660 --> 00:18:08.980
 And prayer is what actually

00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:09.660
 brings him

00:18:09.660 --> 00:18:10.960
 into the presence of God.

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:15.059
 So it doesn't matter

00:18:15.059 --> 00:18:15.960
 how far he is

00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:16.740
 from Jerusalem

00:18:16.740 --> 00:18:17.759
 or from church.

00:18:18.120 --> 00:18:18.960
 Prayer allows him

00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:19.660
 to come right

00:18:19.660 --> 00:18:20.600
 into the throne room

00:18:20.600 --> 00:18:21.240
 of the king

00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:23.160
 and get an immediate audience.

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:26.660
 The psalm's great

00:18:26.660 --> 00:18:27.720
 because we really don't know

00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:28.279
 the details

00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:29.360
 of his circumstances

00:18:29.360 --> 00:18:30.180
 but we know

00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:31.240
 that he feels oppressed.

00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:32.620
 He does have

00:18:32.620 --> 00:18:33.380
 mocking enemies.

00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:34.860
 He feels a long way

00:18:34.860 --> 00:18:35.519
 from the immediate

00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:36.559
 presence of God.

00:18:37.740 --> 00:18:39.059
 And the remarkable thing

00:18:39.059 --> 00:18:39.980
 is that as soon

00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:40.680
 as he prays

00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:41.819
 the distance is gone.

00:18:47.160 --> 00:18:48.259
 Many times

00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:49.420
 I have felt lonely.

00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:52.279
 I've felt oppressed.

00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:54.380
 I've felt like

00:18:54.380 --> 00:18:55.500
 I was doing it tough.

00:18:56.599 --> 00:18:57.839
 I've experienced

00:18:57.839 --> 00:18:58.660
 hope dying.

00:18:59.819 --> 00:19:01.559
 Everything seems dark

00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:03.000
 and hopeless

00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:04.460
 and God does not

00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:05.220
 seem to be

00:19:05.220 --> 00:19:06.460
 all that close.

00:19:06.460 --> 00:19:12.980
 and finally

00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:14.240
 I think

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:15.620
 to open my mouth

00:19:15.620 --> 00:19:16.319
 to pray.

00:19:19.900 --> 00:19:20.900
 And I bring

00:19:20.900 --> 00:19:22.000
 my loaded heart

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:23.480
 or diary

00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:25.059
 or plans

00:19:25.059 --> 00:19:25.740
 to God

00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:26.600
 and suddenly

00:19:26.600 --> 00:19:27.720
 they are not

00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:28.460
 mine anymore

00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:29.279
 they are his.

00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:32.799
 and many times

00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.599
 God changes

00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:34.440
 my mood

00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:36.200
 and my sense

00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:37.180
 of hopelessness

00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:37.839
 when I bow

00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:38.440
 my knee

00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:40.000
 and ask him

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.779
 to take hold

00:19:40.779 --> 00:19:41.700
 of and intervene

00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:43.059
 in my circumstances.

00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:47.440
 That's faith.

00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:52.279
 wonderful verse

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:52.860
 in 1 Peter

00:19:52.860 --> 00:19:53.559
 chapter 5

00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:54.080
 verse 7

00:19:54.080 --> 00:19:54.799
 which we taught

00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:55.519
 all our kids

00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:56.720
 from a very early age

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:57.480
 and when you teach

00:19:57.480 --> 00:19:58.240
 your kids a verse

00:19:58.240 --> 00:19:59.240
 you learn it yourself.

00:20:01.860 --> 00:20:03.000
 It's 1 Peter 5

00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:03.660
 verse 7

00:20:03.660 --> 00:20:06.640
 casting all our cares

00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.220
 on Jesus

00:20:07.220 --> 00:20:08.600
 because he cares

00:20:08.600 --> 00:20:09.640
 for you.

00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:12.799
 Casting all our cares

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:13.500
 on Jesus

00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:14.640
 because he cares

00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:15.259
 for you.

00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:18.240
 And we take

00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:19.080
 God's wonderful

00:20:19.080 --> 00:20:19.740
 invitation

00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:21.680
 we step

00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.620
 into his throne

00:20:22.620 --> 00:20:23.020
 room

00:20:23.020 --> 00:20:24.780
 we open

00:20:24.780 --> 00:20:25.520
 our mouths

00:20:25.520 --> 00:20:26.200
 and we pour

00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:26.820
 out our hearts

00:20:26.820 --> 00:20:27.420
 to our heavenly

00:20:27.420 --> 00:20:27.880
 father

00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:30.560
 and he restores

00:20:30.560 --> 00:20:30.980
 hope

00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:33.000
 he rules

00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:34.860
 he knows

00:20:34.860 --> 00:20:36.540
 he cares

00:20:36.540 --> 00:20:38.020
 he is

00:20:38.020 --> 00:20:38.740
 trustworthy.

00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:42.420
 See the taunt?

00:20:43.580 --> 00:20:44.320
 Where is your

00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:44.659
 God?

00:20:45.899 --> 00:20:46.859
 And the answer

00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:49.159
 he is as near

00:20:49.159 --> 00:20:50.700
 as a bended

00:20:50.700 --> 00:20:51.200
 knee

00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:52.740
 and a humble

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.159
 heart.

00:20:59.740 --> 00:21:00.700
 I don't know

00:21:00.700 --> 00:21:01.500
 what sort of a heart

00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:02.059
 you have brought

00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:02.819
 to church this

00:21:02.819 --> 00:21:03.159
 morning

00:21:03.159 --> 00:21:04.220
 but maybe you

00:21:04.220 --> 00:21:05.039
 have come here

00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.419
 with a very

00:21:06.419 --> 00:21:07.159
 heavy heart

00:21:07.159 --> 00:21:09.159
 lonely

00:21:09.159 --> 00:21:09.939
 oppressed

00:21:09.939 --> 00:21:11.379
 a long way

00:21:11.379 --> 00:21:11.839
 from God

00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:12.539
 and maybe God

00:21:12.539 --> 00:21:13.279
 does not feel

00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:13.740
 that real

00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:14.599
 in your life.

00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:18.619
 But the

00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:19.000
 psalmist

00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:19.539
 is saying

00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.139
 he is as

00:21:20.139 --> 00:21:20.460
 near

00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:21.319
 as your

00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:21.659
 bended

00:21:21.659 --> 00:21:22.099
 knee

00:21:22.099 --> 00:21:23.480
 and your

00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:23.839
 humbled

00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:24.279
 heart.

00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:26.980
 And he

00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:27.399
 finishes

00:21:27.399 --> 00:21:28.220
 his song

00:21:28.220 --> 00:21:29.339
 in chapter

00:21:29.339 --> 00:21:30.240
 43

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:31.119
 verse 5

00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:32.460
 with the

00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:33.259
 same chorus

00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:33.639
 that he

00:21:33.639 --> 00:21:34.460
 sang twice

00:21:34.460 --> 00:21:35.220
 in Psalm

00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:35.740
 42

00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:35.980
 42

00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:38.140
 but I

00:21:38.140 --> 00:21:38.400
 think

00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:38.640
 even

00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:38.839
 though

00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:39.000
 it's

00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:39.140
 the

00:21:39.140 --> 00:21:39.420
 same

00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:39.759
 words

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:39.980
 this

00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:40.240
 time

00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:40.400
 it

00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:40.700
 sounds

00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:41.220
 different.

00:21:42.620 --> 00:21:43.180
 It's

00:21:43.180 --> 00:21:43.539
 full of

00:21:43.539 --> 00:21:43.880
 hope.

00:21:45.120 --> 00:21:45.839
 It's not

00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:46.440
 a response

00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:46.980
 to self

00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:47.440
 talk.

00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.400
 It's a

00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:48.859
 response

00:21:48.859 --> 00:21:49.299
 to having

00:21:49.299 --> 00:21:49.740
 stood in

00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:50.200
 the presence

00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:50.740
 of God

00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:52.039
 and walked

00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:52.579
 out again

00:21:52.579 --> 00:21:53.039
 full of

00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:53.359
 hope.

00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:55.259
 Why are

00:21:55.259 --> 00:21:55.439
 you

00:21:55.439 --> 00:21:56.159
 downcast

00:21:56.159 --> 00:21:56.559
 O my

00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:56.979
 soul?

00:21:58.099 --> 00:21:58.859
 Why so

00:21:58.859 --> 00:21:59.359
 disturbed

00:21:59.359 --> 00:22:00.000
 within me?

00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:01.479
 Put your

00:22:01.479 --> 00:22:01.899
 hope in

00:22:01.899 --> 00:22:02.240
 God

00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:03.659
 for I

00:22:03.659 --> 00:22:04.119
 will yet

00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:04.579
 praise

00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:04.919
 him

00:22:04.919 --> 00:22:05.479
 my

00:22:05.479 --> 00:22:06.039
 saviour

00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:06.899
 and my

00:22:06.899 --> 00:22:07.219
 God.

00:22:08.139 --> 00:22:08.699
 Amen.

00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:08.799
 Amen.