“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” Psalm 42:1-2
“Are you thirsty?” said the Lion. “I am dying of thirst,” said Jill. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic. Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step closer… “I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill. “Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion. “Oh dear! said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go look for another stream then.” “There is no other stream,” said the Lion.
The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis
Have you felt like Jill? Worn out from the relationships that seem like an unending marathon? Burned out from giving it your all in ministry but not seeing results? Exhausted from trying to look as happy and put together as everyone around you? Panting to catch your breath in the hurried lifestyle that suddenly captured all of your free time?
I’ve got good news for you today! In the longing, in the yearning, God is drawing us closer to Him. We are parched and panting, but God promises us He is the Living Water who will fully satisfy.
On the outside it may look like we have found the source of life, but on the inside, deep down, our own souls betray our daily reality that nothing but an encounter with God is ever really enough. In the midst of procuring new things, striving after the newest experience, or inundating ourselves with the newest trends, we know we yearn for a remedy we cannot make ourselves. Most of us spend our days doing anything we can to satisfy the undeniable inward craving for purpose, meaning, and affection.
What we all search for is a soul- satisfying encounter with God.
Jesus’s answer to the Samaritan woman is for you and me: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up into eternal life.” (John 4:14) We later learn in John 7:39 this living water Jesus speaks of is the Holy Spirit offered to you and me as the gift of eternal life.
Are you weary of looking for living water? Soak your soul today in the satisfying presence of God and in His Word. Determine to run everyday to His stream and quench your soul in the freedom of self forgetfulness in light of God’s goodness and mercy found in His Word. It is His great joy to give you access to this stream! He came so you and I may know the deep satisfaction of His life changing Living Water! (Isaiah 55:1-3)
Come, come to the waters this morning and let yourself be drenched in the mercy and love of God. You have no idea how badly He wants you to come to Him, how much He cares for your thirst to be quenched with true life. He has broken down all barriers for you to get to the edge of the water to kneel down and have a drink. The last page of the Bible has an amazing invitation for each one of us: “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.”(Revelation 22:17)
Father, my throat is parched from calling for help. I am weary from continuing to look for Living Water in dry wells. I long for you, I thirst for you, and I drawn to you like a desert animal is intuitively drawn to water sources necessary for life. I am afraid you will disappoint me if I really ask for your presence to come touch my life. But I choose to put my hope in you and trust anyway. You satisfy my soul like no other. Come, Holy Spirit, take root in my soul. I need you. Amen.
— Emma Abernathy
