Thirst.

Have you ever been insane with thirst? Parched? Famished? So thirsty you daydream about water, lemonade, tea, and snow cones? We never experience that kind of thirst because there is water everywhere. But it would only take two days in the desert or the wilderness and water would become the only thing on your mind—your every thought would be water. You would drink water from a hoof print, or suck the moisture out of mud, or lick the leaves of plants, each one holding a single drop of water. I heard about a man who squeezed the dew out of Spanish moss, just to drink the brown, dirty water.

You should thirst for your Creator—your Savior—the same way.

“As a deer longs for streams of water, so my soul thirsts after You, God. I thirst for God, the living God” Psalm 42:1-2.

The Message paraphrases it:

“A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. I’m thirsty for God-alive.”

The Passion translation:

“I long to drink of you, O God, drinking deeply from the streams of pleasure flowing from your presence. My longings overwhelm me for more of you!”

The Voice says:

“My soul is dry and thirsts for You, True God, as a deer thirsts for water.”

Or as we sang it in a youth chorus:

“As the deer panteth for the water,

So my soul longeth after Thee.

You alone are my heart’s desire,

And I long to worship Thee.”

–As the Deer, the Maranatha! Singers.

Pray. Dear God, help me to thirst for you. Fill us with a deep love for you, with a hunger for your word, and a thirst for your heart. Help us to be obsessed with knowing you better every day. Help us desire more and more and more of you! We love you, Lord. Make us love you more!

ΑΩ