AN OASIS IN THE DESERT

Psa. 71:3

Morning Meditation 7/14/16

Verse 3 says, “Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress..”

We do not know who wrote this Psalm. Some have suggested because it has no title it is just an extension of Psalm seventy and therefore, David wrote it. Some have suggested that Samuel wrote it. It really does not matter who the human author was. It is the inspired Word of God. It was probably written for the encouragement of those in their senior years. See verses 9, 18.

Verse three caught my attention. I guess because it describes in part the story of my life. I learned a long time ago that spending time with God and resorting to him in time of trouble is necessary for me. So as I read this verse I saw in it the description of an oasis in the desert.

The Psalmist says to the LORD, “Be thou my strong habitation. . .”Why would the Psalmist make such a request? He was evidently a man with enemies. A man who is constantly pursued and his life is a continual target would find great comfort in a strong habitation. This clause is the translation of the Hebrew word “tsuwr.” It is found about seventy-five in the Old Testament. It is translated “rock” most of the time. “The word stands for boulders or formations of stone and for the material which composes mountains.” (Theological Handbook of the Old Testament). These formations of rock were a place of strength and protection for the fighting man.

1 Sam. 2:2 says, “There is no rock like our God.” David said, Psa. 18:2: “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Many a time David’s life had been saved as he hid himself in the rocks and in caves hewn out in the rocks. This makes a good illustration of what God is to the believer. He is our strong habitation.

The word “habitation” suggests more than just a five minute stopover. It is a place where one can stay long enough to rest. Jesus is Yahweh (Jehovah). And he says in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” If you will check the context you will find that Jesus did not say this to the unsaved, he said it to his disciples. Jesus is a refuge for his disciples. Are you weary and heavy laden? Come to him for rest. He is like an oasis in the midst of the desert.

There are some of you who will read this that are in countries where your life could be taken at any moment. The enemy would never have a second thought about killing you. You need to pray this prayer with the Psalmist: “Be thou my strong habitation.” He will be your strong habitation in the midst of a hostile land. There are others who are living in a spiritual Sahara desert. You are in a place where there is no real preaching of the Word of God. You are like a man in the midst of the desert who has been without water until he knows that he just can’t survive another day. He comes up over a rise and there before him are palm trees standing tall and green and a fresh spring of water. He has found a place of refreshment in the midst of an arid desert. Jesus knocks on the door of the Laodicean Church and says, “. . . if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). Any church where Jesus is outside would have to be as dead as last years bird nest. Jesus asks us to hear his voice and invite him in and he will come in and “Sup.” That is fellowship. In other words this is an oasis in the midst of a desert. Many churches are nothing but desert places.

Next the Psalmist says, “whereunto I may continually resort . . . ” The word “tamiyd” is used to refer to the continual whole burnt offerings made to God every morning and evening (Exo. 29:42; Num. 28:6,10,15,23). The Psalmist knew that he needed to continually resort to the LORD. I used to go to camp meetings. It was a place where I heard a lot of good preaching and I benefitted Spiritually from it. It was not long until I realized, if I was going to make it, I must have a continual camp meeting to keep me in shape to serve. Then I discovered this truth. God is a continual resort for those who want it. When I first began to realize that the LORD was a strong habitation for those who would resort to him, I would go and rent a motel room and shut myself up to God with my Bible for three or four days. Then I realized I didn’t have enough money to do this as often as it took. I needed to experience the LORD more regularly than I could afford! Then I began to find a secluded spot and select a time daily where I could fellowship with the LORD. I can’t tell you what that did for me. I can just hear some dear preacher say, “There is no place I can go. The phone rings off the wall. There is no place I can go where I can shut out everything around me and just fellowship with the Lord.”

First, let me suggest that you do it at home. If you get up early, you will find that not many people are that interested in you at four or five in the morning! Don’t tell anyone that you are doing this. This is a time you are going to spend with God. I have told my people where I was doing this and I had some dear men who were so hungry for God and fellowship with their preacher, they wanted to meet with me during this time of devotional. I learned to keep my mouth shut. There were periods of time when I would take a break in the middle of the afternoon (no one knew where I was) and there I went to the LORD in prayer and meditation. This was not a time I planned church growth or the next revival. It was a time when I deeply concentrated upon the goodness of the LORD and sought his fellowship and communion. At those times, I did not study for a sermon. I only studied a scripture for the purpose of fellowship with him. I also read biographies and devotional books that helped me in my communion with God. Incidently, I have a lock on my bedroom door. Any calls that come, your wife can say, “He is in prayer right now, can I take your number and have him return your call.” I discovered that any break for conversation on the phone during that time, ruined that time of communion. It takes concentration and time to fellowship with the LORD. Interruptions can break your concentration. Sometimes these are unavoidable. I tried to stay available to my people twenty-four hours a day. But when I was in the throne room, and it was not an emergency, those seeking me would have to wait. Let me caution you. I did not tell them I didn’t have time for them. That never sounds right. They would never have understood. I just found a way to do it where I would not have to make a hurtful statement. I discovered I could not help my people if I did not have this time of communion. True ministry is where the people are partaking of the overflow that comes from the preacher’s communion with the Lord. And I was not willing to turn the church I pastored into a place of dead orthodoxy. I do not care how good you are in explaining the Scriptures, you will be dead Spiritually apart from continually resorting to the Lord as the Psalmist is talking about here.

The words “. .. . thou hast given commandment to save me” describe the Psalmist faith. God had gone on record. The Psalmist believed the record. Do you want to be saved in the sense he speaking here? Then make the LORD your continual resort. God is committed to your salvation.

May God bless each of you.

In Christ

Bro. White