How Thirsty Are You?

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;

Psalm 63:1

The church bulletin needed to be done, so along with the materials I had typed at home, I went to the church work room to get the job done. However, I also had another task in mind that needed done while our ancient copier coughed out the bulletin for Sunday. (I would venture to think that you probably didn't know that Noah had a xerox copier on the ark. I think we inherited it after it being passed down through the years.) Determined to clean out a cabinet, I went armed with my broom and dust pan ready for the task. It didn't take long but thanks to the dust flying, I thought I would die of thirst. That's always an exaggeration when someone says something like that, but I know what they mean.

 

Sometimes my physical thirst has been mandated. If the doctor orders I have lab work done, I'm usually told not to eat or drink anything after midnight. I ordinarily wouldn't drink or eat anything after midnight, but just knowing I'm not supposed to causes me to stir during the night with a desire for a drink of water. It's the same if one is going to have surgery. When I go hiking on a mountain trail, there have been times I left my bottle of water in the car and it's then I notice my strong thirst for a good drink of water.

There are folks or other creatures in the Bible who have gone through times of physical thirst.  God's people in the wilderness ran out of water and didn't see any prospect of finding any. God chose to provide water for them from a rock. In Psalms, we find a hart (deer) panting for the water brooks. In fact, David spoke of his personal thirst for God in the Psalms. Jesus is seen in Scripture on at least two occasions thirsting. He met a Samaritan woman by a well and asked for a drink of water from her. From the cross, Jesus cried, “I thirst,” that was a heart wrenching cry that just added to the agony of the hour.

I have been so blessed as I have looked at verses from Scripture that have to do with having a thirst for the spiritual. If we are honest, our thirst for God can ebb and flow but that's not what He intends. When Brian and I were engaged, I really wanted to see him more often during the week than I could, but because of distance, we saw each other only two or three times a week. I guess I could say that I really thirsted for time with him. God wants the same from us, a thirst for Him and He isn't satisfied with two or three times a week nor should we be.

“Soak” in some of the following verses with me as we evaluate where we are in our thirst for God and His Word. We are never meant to be “dry-as-dust” Christians so join me in a spiritual “look-see.”

John 7:37---In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.

Matthew 5:6---Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Psalm 42:1,2---As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

John 4:14---But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Isaiah 55:1a---Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters...

Revelation 7:16,17---They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

There are so many things in our day that can rob us of our thirst for God. Those things may not always be negative such as health problems, financial difficulties, family problems or psychological conditions. We can be just as distracted by positive things like social activities, hobbies, TV, travel, computer activities and any other such things that seem to demand our attention because they are necessary or fun. In it all, God can be so easily squeezed out.

When we feel a nagging spiritual thirst, it means checking our spiritual routine and what's been missing that would create that spiritual thirst in us. What have we neglected in our spiritual routine....time in the Word, seasons of prayer, faithfulness in church attendance and service and being the witnesses we are supposed to be. Let me add here that an overabundance of church activity will not quench spiritual thirst. Too many of those activities can serve only to wear us down if doing too much or if not doing what we do in God's strength.

There are times when my spiritual routine may be what I want it to be, not that I can't improve. I may be having a time of sweet fellowship with the Lord, but I have a thirst for even more of Him in my life. He loves to fill me with that Living Water that is refreshing, soothing and strengthening.

May we never be found dehydrated when it comes to the things of God, especially when He stands ready to fill us up with that Living Water that is always available to a thirsty follower.

 

                                              Fill my cup, Lord...I lift it up, Lord!

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul,

Bread of Heaven, feed me til I want no more--

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!