God is always ready to refresh our weary hearts
by Don Morris
Recently I read a daily verse from Bible Gateway that hit home for me. David writes in Psalm 63, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”
For those living in areas where there has been severe drought lately, like California, perhaps this verse feels even more relevant. I must admit that I don’t always thirst after God with the kind of passion and longing that David describes. But the times when I do get to that level of thirst come when I realize I’ve been so busy doing things that I haven’t taken the time just to seek God, and I then recognize that I really need him.
Lately I’ve been in one of my “thirsting” slumps. Perhaps it’s due to focusing so much on providing energy toward getting the Future Story moving forward. Perhaps it’s because I tend to rationalize that I can please God by doing more rather than by simply being with him. Maybe I’ve lost focus as a result of so many other things in life that seemingly need my attention. Some are even good, positive things. But as these good things drain my energy and demand my time, I unintentionally leave God out. And great thirst results.
There are times when I like to work in our yard. My wife, Janna, thinks I need to want to like it more often than I do! But when I really get into it and am working away and sweating a little, I sometimes suddenly realize that a big Coke Zero from Sonic has become very tempting. I’m thirsty! I need to drink! Are you like me in this way? Do you get to a point where you suddenly notice that you are really thirsty for God?
As I write this I’m wondering why I let my thirst for God get to a point where my dryness is so intense. Why not simply remain consistently hydrated in God? I wish I was like David all the time —“my whole being longs for you [God].” But one thing I’m thankful for is that when I do get dry and then earnestly seek God, he is always waiting to quench my thirst for him. God is waiting to pour out his words to me. He’s ready to refresh me once again.
David goes on to say in this Psalm, “Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” These are beautiful words describing how God wants to meet with me and to be my help.
In the midst of thinking about all of this and contemplating my own desire to seek God and be refreshed by him, I’ve been reminded by God once again that enormous numbers of people that I see every day have never had God quench their thirst. Massive numbers of people are walking around with great thirst but with no idea as to how to remedy it. They don’t know the source that will change their state of need. So, they try all kinds of things to satisfy their parched life, all for naught. Only Jesus can satisfy their longing. I must go to those who are thirsting and offer them living water. And, Lord, as I do, let me also, with my whole being, come thirsting to spend time with you.
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