How Intense Is Your Thirst?

WhoGodIs — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:21:54 +0000

Psalm 42: 1-2

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?

**********

David wrote this Psalm when he was in exile from Jerusalem. He longed to go back there and worship daily in the Temple because that was where God resided. It would be many years before Jesus would come to earth as a man, die on the cross, rise from the grave, and ascend to Heaven so the Holy Spirit could come back to earth to live in the heart of every person who accepts Him as Savior.

David had to physically go to the Temple worship services, and be a part of the chorus of praise that rose up to his Heavenly Father during one of the sacrifice times before he felt he had truly worshiped God.

A hart is an animal (like our deer today) that is fond of feeding near the water. When hunted he will go into the water and stay submerged as long as possible, then get in the middle of the river and swim downstream, not touching any tree branches on either side so dogs won’t be able to follow his scent. In a chase he becomes faint, and longs for water intensely.

The word “panteth” as David uses it here means not just a quiet longing and inward desire, but audible panting produced by an agony of thirst – the intense desire and overwhelming sense of want.

This exact word occurs only twice in the Bible, here and in Joel 1:20. It properly means to rise, and then, to look up toward anything; to long for. It refers here to the intense desire of the hind (female deer), in the heat of day, for water; or, in Joel, to the desire of the cattle for water in a time of drought.

There was an intense thirst that needed to be quenched, and nothing would help until water was found.

**********

How much do you thirst to truly know God? Does that thirst consume your very being? Are you satisfied just being the way you are right now, whatever that is?

God has a plan for every Christian life, but many times He doesn’t reveal that plan until He sees how thirsty you will become to find out what it is.

In these last days, He wants to use His People to do an awesome work. Will you be willing to get rid of all the unnecessary baggage that has been holding you back and completely surrender your life to Him? It probably won’t be easy, but in the long run it will be well worth it. There is nothing greater than living a life of peace and harmony with God.

Now that is truly living!!!

Check out my other sites:

Handbook for Victorious Christian Living - practical ways to learn to live a victorious Christian life

Blueprint for Victorious Christian Living

Power of the Living Word

No related posts.

What Will It Take For You To Step Out Of The Boat?

WhoGodIs — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:39:21 +0000

Isn’t this an accurate word picture of what faith means to many of us? It’s easy to walk on the water if you know it is frozen underneath you and there is no chance of you falling in.

When Peter asked Jesus to let him get out of the boat and walk towards him, he was fine as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. The minute he took them off, he started to sink.

When Jesus asks you to step out on faith and do a particular thing, make sure you keep in mind that you might be in uncharted territory, but He never is. As far as He’s concerned, the ground is very solid and stable underneath you because He will guide you every step of the way even though you can’t see the road yourself.

Hebrews 11: 6 – But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

You can’t truly please God if you are too afraid to step out into the unknown, because He has plans for your life that you have never imagined. Don’t stay in the boat, play it safe, and miss what God wants to do.