Thirst

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

That I may know Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Philippians 3:10

Don’t we all have our own worldly idols who we will most gladly wait for hours to see a glimpse of them, or stand in a line to get a book signed by them or listen to them sing. They are all tangible and can be seen or heard. Our thirst when we come to God is more of the heart and mind.

David professed of his intense desire for God. He wanted to bask in God’s presence. Here it was not a physical presence he was craving, it was an all consuming presence that left his heart burning almost touched by tongs of fire.

Why do we thirst after God? It could be a search for direction and intense desire to have God be the one who directs our thoughts and actions. It could be guilt for deeds done which we ought not to have done. It could be because we are in the midst of a manmade or natural disaster and we have no idea what to do. It could be the loss of a loved one or a diagnosis of a terminal disease.

Depending on the circumstance and situation our hunger and thirst for God increases or decreases. When we are preoccupied, content and happy our desire for God is a lot less than when we are helpless and sad. It is at times like these we reflect like Paul and say, that I might know Christ and the power of his resurrection.

We have to be disciplined to spend time daily in his presence in prayer and study. We meet fellow travellers in church or in groups who also share their life experiences and walk with God. We serve in needy areas and feel a presence of God leading us and guiding us in our duties. It is through the culmination of all these activities and constantly engaging in them do we perpetuate this thirst for God in our lives.

Lent is a time when we dedicate our time to learn and understand about our thirst for God, get a sense of our own faults, and how to walk closer with Him daily. It is when we seek deep within our hearts to tap into our abundant reserves for the desire for God that has already been placed within us from the time of our birth. We know that this knowledge of the presence of God is more valuable than anything else we cherish in this world. Once we have quenched this burning thirst we will find true fulfillment only when we pass it on to others. Our daily lives become the fields we practice to build the presence and thirst for God in the lives of others.

Little drops of water,
little grains of sand,
make the mighty ocean
and the beauteous land.

And the little moments,
humble though they may be,
make the mighty ages
of eternity.

Little deeds of kindness,
little words of love,
make our earth an Eden,
like the heaven above.

So our little errors
lead the soul away,
from the paths of virtue
into sin to stray.

Little seeds of mercy
sown by youthful hands,
grow to bless the nations
far in distant lands.

Glory then for ever
be to God on high,
beautiful and loving,
to eternity

Words: Julia Carney, 1845  Music: Gott ein Vater