Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart: https://sothrichfield.podbean.com
Psalm 42:1-8 (NIV)
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. 6 My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers
have swept over me. 8 By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.
Identify reasons for coming to church (worship) regularly from today’s texts
Holy God, I need You. There are times in my life when things are just not going well and I feel down and so far away from You. I know that I just want to be close to You. During those times, there is no place that I would rather be than in Your church. In those times I close my eyes and just soak in the messages of the songs that are being sung, listen to the Words being spoken and breath in deep for Your Spirit to fill me with Your peace. You surround me with Your protection, Your promises of forgiveness and grace. I leave with songs of praise running through my head and uplifting my heart. Thank You for the church. Amen