"My Soul Thirsts for You"

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1 ESV)

This psalm of David is often written about by many, including myself. We know that David was in the wilderness of Judah, most likely when Absalom was pursuing him, when he wrote it. This verse emphasizes the importance of God's closeness to us.

The Holy Spirit lives in us, never leaving and always tending to us. He groans our needs to the Father when we ourselves do not know exactly what that need is. There are times when we may feel the absence of the Lord's presence around us. It may be during a time of rebellion, sadness, or another strong emotion that makes us recognize our need for the Lord.

Standing in the midst of nature, I find solace in the Lord. I have a sacred place where I go to meditate deeply and be alone with God. It is where I weep as I remember my salvation and the price that was paid for me, and you. If it were up to me, I would never leave it, for it is there that I feel His hands on my shoulders the most.

It reminds me that Jesus said, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6) Jesus often went to a solitary place to pray and be alone with the Father, as should we. This practice of solitude and prayer has the power to transform our relationship with God, inspiring us to seek Him more earnestly and sincerely.

We should all thirst for the Lord. In the morning, when we awake and see that we have been blessed with another day to serve Him, the need for God may be greatest. He never leaves us, but while we slumber, we are not aware of Him. During the day, we struggle through the world, and are exhausted at the end, we forget the Lord has been with us every nanosecond of the day. For me, when I awake, I thirst for the Lord the most. It is then that the words you read are given to me, and I spend my time alone. In scripture, speaking with and writing about the Lord. Do you make time like that for yourself, time that you crave to be alone with the Lord?

If one is not in some ministry, prayer time may be the only time you spend thinking of and being with the Lord. If you read yesterday’s post about prayer, you know that it is not just about asking for things. It is about acknowledging the sovereignty of the Lord, his love, grace, and mercy. It is about glorifying Him for all these things. And it is about listening patiently for the Lord, about feeling Him there with you, His hands on your shoulders. If you have not read this post, please do; it contains a lovely truth and serves as a guide to earnest prayer.

 My point is that if we are not thirsting for the Lord, if our flesh does not crave Him, and if we are not seeking Him every day, there is a problem. If we go about our day on autopilot, blindly walking through the world, we must evaluate our relationship with Christ and examine where we have fallen short. I would wager to guess that for most of us, it is in our prayer time, or lack thereof. We cannot live as we are in the world but must constantly look to Christ.

Ask yourself, is this verse my life? Is this how I feel about God? A young man once told Pastor Paul Washer, “Brother Paul, you are right, Jesus is all we need. “Paul Washer, in his ever pressing and loving passion, responded, “Young man, Jesus is not all we need; He is all we have.” No truer statement is there.

Stay thirsty for the Lord. It is the sign of a truly Christ-centered Christian. You may get called many things because of it, but God sees your devotion. If you do not know our Lord Jesus Christ and wonder how someone can desire what they cannot see, touch, or feel, so much. Seek Jesus Christ and find the answer. He is real, not a story, not a fable, not a make-believe friend. He is the one true living God. He is a God of mercy, grace, and salvation. Please, seek Him. Remember, Jesus is not just a concept or a belief; He is a living reality, always present to comfort and guide us.

Grace and Peace.