Thirsting for God

Pastor Carol Grace ♦ February 10, 2025 ♦ 1 Comment

(NIV) Psalm 42,

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

3 My tears have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

4 These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God

under the protection of the Mighty One

with shouts of joy and praise

among the festive throng.

5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

I am certain you have heard the phrase “desperate people do desperate things.” In Psalm 42 we find that David is, indeed, desperate to be in fellowship with God. When I read this Scripture II understand that David’s longing to be in fellowship with God is visceral. He never takes his time with God for granted.

Then I begin to wonder if I allow the cares of everyday living to rob me of the joy of my salvation. Do I take every opportunity to seek hard after God, or am I sometimes too casual in my approach to spend time with the One, True and Living God?

I think of scriptures advising me to seek God early while He may be found. And I can sense David’s anguish as he feels isolated from God. Did David only feel God’s presence while in corporate worship? Do I?

But then I realize that we are so fortunate to experience God differently than those in Old Testament times. Since Pentecost the Holy Spirit has operated differently, dwelling within each Christian so that we are never separated from God’s presence.

May we have such a hunger and thirst for God that we cannot be satisfied unless we are drinking daily from the fountain that emanates from His holy throne.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son,, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.