Thirsting for Water
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. ~Psalm 42:1
Have you ever been without water to drink for a very long, extended period of time? Have you ever experienced the feeling of dryness of throat, parched lips, swollen tongue, and the physical languishing of being thirsty? If you have, you will empathize with the psalmist. The psalmist speaks of being thirsty, specifically in a spiritual sense. He describes for us what it is like to be thirsty for God.
We see his condition.
He said his soul panted after God. He said his soul thirsted for God. He described his spiritual condition as being cast down. The picture that he is presenting to us is one that is desperate and critical. He gives us the picture of a sheep that has wandered away from the flock and experienced the misfortune of being cast down, or fallen, on its side. Sheep that are cast down are in a very difficult position. They are unable to prop themselves up in their own strength. Once a sheep is cast down, it is vulnerable to the elements and predators. It will die of thirst very quickly in the blazing, hot Judean sun. The psalmist is in bad shape spiritually.
We see his craving.
He compared himself to a deer that panted for water. His soul was thirsting for God. He had arrived at the place in life where nothing else could satisfy his longing other than God. He wanted God’s favor, God’s fellowship, and God’s freshness on his life. Does your soul pant after God? Do you have a sense of where you are at spiritually concerning God’s presence in your life? Do you sense a spiritual dryness in your soul that only gets worse until God satisfies your thirst?
We see his consolation.
He said, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” He placed his entire dependence upon God. He had faith in God’s renewal, God’s resuscitation, and God’s refreshing in his soul. He cast his entire dependence upon God to rejuvenate his soul. The cares of the world did nothing for his soul. He wanted God and God alone. That’s your consolation and mine as well. The health of our countenance depends upon the waters of God replenishing our soul.
The greatest need for our soul is to realize how thirsty we are for God. We are never at our best spiritually unless our souls have been greatly saturated and satisfied with God. We must come to the fountain of the Lord and drink deeply of His cool, refreshing waters over and over. Check out your soul this morning, and determine if you are dying of thirst. Make it a daily habit to saturate your soul with the Lord and be replenished.
Have a well-watered God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Kings 6-7