Our theme for this month: “Taking care of your soul.”
Our Bible verse for today: “Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?” Psalm 6:2-3 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “The soul is only truly satisfied with God.”
Have you ever had an itch you couldn’t scratch? Doesn’t that drive you crazy? Usually it’s in the middle of the back. You twist and stretch and reach and contort yourself but you just can’t seem to get at it. Then you wedge your back up against a doorpost and there you are, sliding up and down the doorpost – looking ridiculous maybe, but finally you get relief. Why? Because you were finally able to get at the itch.
In Psalm 6:2-3 David described a spiritual itch that he couldn’t seem to scratch. His soul was in agony to the point that he felt like he might faint, he could feel the agony in his bones. He cried out for mercy and wondered how long the spiritual emptiness was going to last. In the NKJV verse 3 reads, “My soul is greatly troubled.” The HCSB translates it, “My whole being is shaken with terror.” David’s soul was in anguish and he wasn’t able to find any relief.
There is an itch in the human soul that can only be scratched by God. It is that place in the heart that can only be filled by His presence. Unfortunately we frequently attempt to fill it with everything except God. This is how people end up addicted to alcohol, drugs, and food. They attempt to numb the pain, fill the emptiness, scratch the itch with things that simply don’t reach it. For some it’s a new pair of shoes, or sex, or a big bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. But once the sex act is over, the food consumed, or the addictive substance has run its course through the body, the itch is still there. That’s because the God-shaped vacuum in the human heart is actually a black hole for the things of the world. We pour those things into it and they are instantly absorbed and they disappear, not filling the emptiness at all. It is a space that was designed by God for His presence alone and nothing else in all creation can even begin to fill it.
Do you have an itchy soul today? Is it restless, irritated, troubled, and maybe even in anguish? There is only one thing that will scratch that itch. You need to be with God. Go to Him in prayer, Bible reading, and meditation. Sing songs of praise to Him and just sit quietly and be with Him. Be honest and like King David tell Him what you’re feeling and ask Him to do something about it. How long do you need to spend with Him? Well, how big is the itch?
God Bless,
Oak Hill Baptist Church 