Thirsting For The Lord
As
the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
My
soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?1
Do you look forward to Sundays? The
Lord’s Day? The day to gather in God’s house to worship the Almighty? Do you
thirst for your quiet time with the Lord, where you can just sit and bask in
his presence? I hope the answer is YES!
Throughout the Psalms we see David on a
roller coaster of emotions when it comes to his relationship with the Lord.
Sometimes he was high on the mountain tops openly praising God for his
marvelous works, and other times he was in the depths of despair, wallowing in
his pity and begging God for mercy. In Psalm 42, David was lamenting once
again, but this time with just cause; circumstances were keeping him from being
able to worship freely in the sanctuary and he missed it greatly! He compares
himself to a parched deer at the opening of this chapter. At first, I imagined
an animal who was merely out of breath, tongue hanging out, as he searched for
a cool drink. However, deer don’t huff and puff like a puppy who’s been running
in circles; they grunt, blow, wheeze, and sometimes their bodies shiver in
convulsions. Deer become distressed and disoriented as they desperately search
for water. David was desperate to be in God’s House again. He could have gone
anywhere to find the presence of the Lord, but the fact that he was denied entrance
to the sanctuary was excruciating for him.
Many of us had similar feelings when the
recent pandemic closed our church doors. Worshiping online and on our own just
didn’t quench our thirst the way LIVE Sunday prayer and worship does. The
preacher’s admonishing and encouragement just didn’t hit home the same way. As
Christians, we need to be in the Lord’s presence continually. Quenching our
spiritual thirst with His Living Water is absolutely vital for our spiritual
and physical health. If circumstances are keeping you from worshiping in the
house of the Lord, you can seek his presence right where you are. Make your
home or workspace your sanctuary; play some uplifting worship music, open God’s
Word, and allow the Holy Spirit to quench your thirsty soul. When
can I go and meet with God? (v.2) The answer is: Right Now! God is waiting
to meet you too.
Suggested Prayer: Lord God, I need a cool
drink from your Living Water today. I feel parched and my soul needs
refreshing. So, I come before you right now and ask that you quench my thirst
with your presence. Holy Spirit, dwell with me today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
1.
Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV).
Today’s Encounter was written by: Veronica
B.
All articles on this website are written by
Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise stated.