As the deer 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?
Psalm 42.1,2
Longing for God
Back to the Psalms, great songs of assurance and joy in God’s presence, but equally honest about times of agony and sorrow, and about the thirst-like experience of God’s absence.
Stop and Think
Where in your life have there been (or are there) times when God has seemed absent?
What has helped you at these times?
What have you learned in them?
Choose to Act
Pray for those who are thirsty today. Pray for those who long to know God’s peace, joy or love.
Choose today to embrace the thirst for God in your own life and never give up.
One of my favourite prayers is, "Dear Lord, I want to want to know you." This thirst that so many people have to the 'spiritual' and 'special' in their lives, but have neither the language nor the faith to articulate, this thirst is something deep. I ponder how much we over-complicate this with religious language and symbolism and how much we facilitate it by providing concepts and models, mysteries and prayers. I suspect there's a balance to be had somewhere in here.
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