Finding God in the Desert

Scripture: Psalm 63:1-8

Quote: “Come celebrate with me that everyday something has tried to kill me and has failed.” - Lucille Clifton

Meditation:

David is on the run for his life, and finds refuge in a desert in Judah. King Saul, the political authority of Israel seeks his life. David is an enemy of the state, and finds God in an unexpected place.

As I think about the condition of Black people and people of color in America, it often feels that we are on the run for our lives. Housing insecurity, stagnant wages, skyrocketed rent prices, and the threat of police violence engulf our existence. Conditions that constantly remind us that we are enemies of the state. And we still have the everyday personal responsibilities to our families and jobs. The struggle to balance parenting, grocery store runs, the pressure to produce professionally, while fighting these systems that are against us, is overwhelming and will have you find yourself in a dry space, a desert in your life.

As a student of Liberation Theology, pastor, and community organizer, I often feel the weight of the world and the weight of the call to serve my community. I also feel the weight of being a husband, father, brother, son, waking up many days feeling like David, alone in the wilderness. Womanist Theologians have taught me the importance of self-care. After Jesus poured out so much into the world, into people, family and community, he would take space for himself to be alone, in solitude. In those places of solitude Jesus found rest, wrestled with his purpose, nurtured the spiritual disciplines that reconnected him to the source, God, who provides all nourishment and replenishment.

David finds this reconnection in Psalms 63. He is completely drained in verse 1, and in need of water. And while he is in the desert something happens in verse 2, which causes him to reflect on how God showed up in the sanctuary in his past. Whatever happened in his sanctuary experience in the past, provided David with hope, joy and thankfulness.

David must have been a member of a Black sanctuary, and remembered the shouting, the singing, the tambourines, and the old-fashioned testimony service. Because we know his memory brought him closer to God, which allowed for him to trust in God even in the face of death. Somehow, he knew that if he was to be saved out of such grave circumstances, that only God could provide that type of deliverance.

In the desert, God is able to remind us that She is eager to save us. That She provides the healing, She does the saving, She does the protecting. She reminds us that if we need counseling, She can accompany us. During this Lenten season if you find yourself in the deserts of life, I want to encourage you to prioritize yourself and reconnect to the source that can quench a thirst that not even water can subside!

Song: “Give Me You” by CJ Brinson (cover)

Reflection Questions:

1. What in your life brings you overwhelm or makes you feel like you’re “on the run for your life”? What pieces of this can you completely release in order to give yourself space to recover and heal?

2. How do you understand the relationship between the work of liberation and radical self-care?

3. What Black worship practices - like singing, shouting, or testimonies - are important to bring into our lives and communities so that Black people can deepen their hope or trust in God even in the face of death?
   

Call to Action:

So that you can know you are deeply loved, and be able to serve and show up in the world with your full self, prioritize yourself today. What is one thing you can do to show yourself tender love and appreciation? Some ideas you can try are: spend time in prayer with God, practice gratitude by reflecting on and naming all the good that has happened in your life, some form of body therapy like a message. Enjoy!

About the Author:

Rev. C. J. Brinson (he/him) is founding pastor of Umoja Church. His work is rooted in empowering Black faith spaces to become politically engaged, while helping Black people develop Black political infrastructure in their local communities.

Stay connected to C.J.:

IG: @liberation_cj

FB: C.J. Brinson

These Black Lent devotionals were originally curated by IG: goodneighbormovement.

Source: “In God’s Hands” by Heritage Fine Art Gallery