daySEVEN :: Thirsty Deer

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God. 

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God? 

- Psalm 42:1-2

Have you ever been thirsty for God's presence?  Maybe that's you today?  The psalmist was in touch with this emotion.  He had a longing that is reflected clearly in this psalm and particularly our verses this morning.  Notice that he uses the simile of a "deer."  A deer looks for water until it finds it and quenches its thirst.  Nothing will satisfy until it finds water.  "Soul pants" indicates something much more than just a weekly visit to church, or a once in a while retreat, or class.  There is an intense longing that moves him toward God.  C.S. Lewis described this longing as an "appetite for God."

The psalmist then does something interesting.  He turns toward the object of his appetite, which is God, not just God, but he emphasizes that it is "the living God."  The psalmist understands what the woman at the well in John 4 was taught by Jesus.  His soul longs for living water that will quench his thirst.  He then asks a rhetorical question, "When can I go and meet with God?"  The irony of a question like this is that God's presence is always present.  

At The Springs, our desire is that everyone begin to understand the reality of a living, daily presence with God.  We don't have to wait for anything to experience His presence.  We simply are looking for opportunities to embrace and see that presence activated where we live, work, play and rest.  The questions we want to be asking are:

Are we aware of God's presence around us?

Do we believe that He is involved in and cares about our daily lives?

Do we understand that we are carriers of His presence wherever we go?

Am I thirsty for God's presence where I am?

prayTODAY ::

Ask God to give you a thirst and a passion for the living presence of God.  Ask Him to open your spiritual eyes to see that He is near...that He is here.  The day will come when we corporately gather to express our worship of Him, but let that be a response and a fruit of our daily living in His presence throughout the week.

Check out the video today.