‘Homesickness is the worst of all,’ an emigrant wrote from London to his sister, dreaming of returning to his homeland. That letter opens a reflection on Psalm 42, the prayer of a man whose soul longs for God as a deer pants for streams of water, preached at a time when the pandemic had closed church doors and scattered the community. The sermon shows that sadness and despair are part of the experience of faith, yet memories of God’s presence can give birth to a hope stronger than the waves of doubt. Listen if God seems distant to you today.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- Twice the psalmist hears the question "Where is your God?" and does not hide his tears or despair. What does this honest, unpolished prayer in Psalm 42 teach you?
- Stripped of everything, the psalmist longs not for power or money but for God's presence and for going with the crowd to the house of God. What does this longing reveal about what mattered most to him?
- The sermon described good memories as a fuel reserve in a crisis. What specific memory from your history with God helps you when He seems far away?
- The psalmist does not get stuck in memories but builds on them to say, "Hope in God, for I will yet praise him." How can we move from remembering the past to hoping in a future with God?
- The sermon suggested that this season of isolation may be an opportunity to be there for others. What new thing, which would not have happened otherwise, can you do for others in the current situation?
- A cross drawn by a fellow prisoner gave Solzhenitsyn hope. What story of your life with God could you share this week with someone who needs encouragement?
