“As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?” –Psalm 42:1-2
My daughter plays softball. It is so much fun to watch as she learns and plays this wonderful sport. We attend practices and games. We spend a lot of time keeping her equipment and uniforms together and ready for the next time it is needed. Each time we load into the car we make sure we have all that is required. One thing that is always needed is water. Recently, we made sure that we had everything she needed, including water, but I soon realized I forgot a drink for myself. It did not take long into practice, on a warm and windy day, for me to become thirsty. In a short time, my thirst had become an overwhelming feeling. I wanted to stop everything and find a drink.
Thirst is a powerful sensation. It tells us when we need to drink water. Thirst is part of God’s wonderful design that helps to keep our bodies healthy and functioning properly. Most sources suggest that the average person drink around six to eight 8-ounce glasses a day. Our bodies have a built-in gage to tell us when we fail to properly hydrate.
I believe that God, who designed our bodies, also designed our souls to know when they are thirsty. As the Psalmist wrote so long ago, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Just like we were created with a need for water, we were also created with a need for God. When we neglect our time with God, we miss an opportunity to draw close and receive God’s grace. We deprive our souls of the nourishment we need. When we thirst, we lose focus. It is hard to complete the tasks before us and it becomes almost impossible to catch a vision for the future that God has in store for us.
Thankfully, we are never prohibited to drink, spiritually speaking. Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John that, “On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.” (John 7:37-39) What a wonderful gift God has given us. We do not have to worry about when or how the thirst of our souls will be quenched. We can turn to God, pray, study, worship, and God will give a drink of “Living Water” that will satisfy our souls and keep us moving forward.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
