Mar 6th | Thirsty Soul

Sunday I commented that verses like Ps 42 are often a bit disturbing to me. They make me feel like a hypocrite, because I don’t feel they way scripture seems to be suggesting that I should feel. In the case of Ps 42, I just don’t very often sense a thirst in my soul. The verse paints the picture of a parched deer searching for streams of water to satisfy her thirst…and then parallels that sentiment to the soul thirsting for God.

Psalm 42:1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

But what if David isn’t commenting on his feelings? What if David is (as we know to be true) is hearing from God and passing on to us, not a feeling, but a fact. The fact that my/your soul DOES thirst for God. And the reason we don’t “sense” it (if we should be the sort that struggles to sense such things) is because we have not attended to it, or have quenched it, or some other such thing?

Our physical bodies are similar. Our body naturally and efficiently craves things like water and nutrients, but we feed it soda and junk food. After a while our bodies (seem) to crave pop and junk…to the point we might conclude that it doesn’t crave what it needs anymore. But we know it does…deep down. Same for the soul.

While everyone has a hunger for God, deep and insatiable, none of us has any great desire for him. –Peterson

Deep down, our soul cries out for God, and from the depths of God’s mercy and faithfulness, He continues to call out to the depths of our souls. You can hear that sentiment in the seventh verse in the same Psalm.

7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;

If you’ve been to Niagra Falls I wonder if you experienced the same thing as me? Certainly, from a distance the Falls are magnificent and majestic, but the closer you get…the powerful current sends a haunting message. Jump in! It’s strange, but when I was mere feet from the powerful volume of water smoothly moving by and over the edge…I was being lured in. I didn’t, of course, but I could easily understand why so many had. It’s inexplicable, but very real. I wonder if our soul and God are the same? Deep calls to deep… From a distance God is amazing and wonderful, but if you should dare to come close, he will call to and quench your thirsty soul. Wow.

How do we get close to God? Check back to Titus 2. Remember?

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us…

The grace of God showed up…Jesus…to forgive our sin and to restore us to God. That’s the first step to discovering the depths of God. Second, he teaches us. But we must be active. Isaiah says that when all the distractions are set aside my soul rises, but I will respond actively in the morning! I will seek…

Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early.

God’s grace is a free gift (although somebody paid dearly) and when/if you receive it you have what is called Salvation. But the process of knowing God, of hearing God, of growing in Christ, of learning obedience and faithful living is a life time endeavor called Sanctification. And the Bible puts a great deal of expectation on us to participate actively in that…to “Work out your salvation…”.

Our souls DO thirst for God, let’s put ourselves in a place and posture to drink…

What’s your most memorable (good or bad) “water related” experience?

What will you do over the next 40 Days to posture yourself to hear from God…to avail your soul to God?

Here’s a whole bunch of random ways (spiritual disciplines) that you might consider choosing one or two from, over the next 40 Days (lent), to posture yourself to hear from God.

Tuesday Prayer – 6:30am & 6:30pm (at the office)

Prayer
2×4 (2min each, 4 times a day)
Walks
Meals
Garage door (every time you put the garage door up or down)

Read a Bible
3-year plan
Glovebox
Email/Txt

Read a Book
The Pursuit of God, 31-day Exp (Tozer)
Practicing the Presence of God (Lawrence)
Celebration of Discipline (Foster)
Common Book of Prayer
Walking with God (Eldredge)
Hearing God (Willard)
My Utmost for His Highest (Chambers)
Streams in the Desert (Mrs. L.B. Cowman)
Morning and Evening (Spurgeon)
Jesus Calling (Sarah Young)
Life Together (Bonhoeffer)
Hind’s Feet on High Places (Hannah Hurnard)
The Way of the Heart (Nouwen)
Crazy Love (Chan)
The Message (Peterson)

Email Devotionals
Ransomed Heart
Girlfriends in God

Listen to Sermons
Piper
Johnson
Nathan
Chandler
Jeremiah

Listen to Worship Music
Vineyard
Hillsong
Jesus Culture
Tomlin
Redmon

Online Study Tools
biblegateway.com
biblos.com