February 12, 2019
Psalm 43:3-5
Send me your light and your faithful care,
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
    to the place where you dwell.
 Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
    O God, my God. 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.
New International Version (NIV)
Church attendance is down across our country.  Skye Jethani offers an interesting explanation based on economic theory:  supply and demand.  The supply of exceptional worship music and great Bible teaching from Pastors around the world is available through technology at all times.  Meanwhile, demand seems to be down, nationwide.  Going to church twice a week has diminished to twice a month or twice a year.

What if we could not go to church, though?  This is the case in some countries.  In Psalms 42-43 which originally may have been one psalm, the Psalmist remembers going with the people of God to worship.  Cut off from corporate worship, now he thirsts like an exhausted deer searching for water. 

Three times he raises his head above the drowning waterfall of sorrow to ask himself why he is so downcast.  Then he expresses resolve:  Hope in God.  I will praise him again.

I remember when I first discovered this Psalm.  As a freshman in college, 1600 miles from home, I was down.  I missed the waterfalls of Montana where I had seen deer climbing the hill right next to the waterfall.  I went to church and heard our choir sing, “Love lifted me.”  And it happened.  God’s love and the love of the church lifted me.  To this day I can always find my way home to God from my church.   
Pray with me:    
Father, help us to devote ourselves to corporate worship again.  Help us to hold on to our church family because sooner or later we will need them to hold on to us.  Thank you that we are always in your care.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen!         
This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan.  Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download 
the app at readscripture.org.  Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully, 
Duane 
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