My Thirst for God is like a deer that stands by the water panting. Needing water but is so out of breath that she can hardly take a drink. Her desire is so strong that it cannot be fully quenched. Thirst is something that can be relieved for the moment, but it’s not long until our bodies need liquid again. Yesterday’s water or today’s cannot take care of tomorrow’s thirst. Every morning when I wake, I am thirsty for God’s word; I mean really, really thirsty where your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth, and you must peel your lips off your teeth. All you can think about is the fresh stream of His word. It feels as if, during the night, my body has absorbed and used all the refreshments I received the day before. I feel like David in Psalm 63:1 when he was in the wilderness of Judah. “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.”
I grab my computer, where I have e-sword, which is the Bible online, and begin to hydrate my soul. As I read and meditate on His word, my soul begins to feel satisfied. His word is like liquid as it flows over my soul. It has no solid form and takes the shape of whatever it is allowed to cover. As the liquid word floods over my soul, it begins to refresh my spirit. Thirsting for and seeking God Himself is at the very root of my relationship with Him. The more I drink, the more I want.
Psalm 42:1-2 “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?”
When I miss my time alone with God, my soul begins to feel dry. It is like being in a desert with no oasis to be found. Before long, my mouth is parched, and my body begins to feel the effects of dehydration. I begin to feel weak and disoriented. The longer I go without hydration, the less I desire it. My body tricks me into believing I’m only tired, so I sleep. This creates a greater problem. Now, I don’t wish for hydration. I no longer have the desire for refreshment. If enough time passes, I will die from dehydration without recognizing the problem.
Psalms 143:6 “I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.”
So, where do I go when I am thirsty? Jesus gave me the answer in John 7:37-39. I go to Him that is the creator of me, the one who knows exactly what I need. He is the living water.
John 7:37-38 “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Jesus said, “If you’re thirsty – come to Me and drink.” Somehow, the satisfaction of our souls is found in Him. And He tells us to thirst for the living water
I know the source that will quench my thirst, and when I go to Him, He fills me over and over again. This river of life never runs dry. It never gets low, stagnant, or full of weeds. It is free, always flowing, with an abundance of living water that can’t be contained. However, it is up to me to go to the free-flowing water and drink. No one can drink it for me, but when I tap into it and stay near it, I will never need to worry about being without refreshment. I must drink it and drink it often, or my soul will dry up.
How thirsty are you? Have you dehydrated your soul? Have you gone so long without the living water that you don’t even recognize the need?
Excellent
So Good!