Thirsting after Jesus- Psalm 63:1

Brothers and sisters. As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for thee, O Lord. Let us pray.

Our Abba Father. You rule over my heart and mind. You created me in Your image. My whole being is Yours. I thirst and hunger after Your word and presence. You are my vision and my hope. You train me to set my face forward. May Your river of Love that has taken me up continue to be my source and my strength. I am wholly Yours. Protect me as I spend time with You and in studying Psalm 63:1. Help me to see the importance of my heart condition in receiving You. Protect my heart from the evil one by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony. For I know who I am and whose I am. Forgive me where I have trespassed against You. I totally release and forgive those who have trespassed against me. Bless this devotional. I give it all back to You. In Jesus Name. Amen. 

Today’s devotion is inspired by Psalm 63:1 which states, “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.”

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You

Earnestly seeking after Him. Whoa. This verse takes away my breath. I am struck by the carefully chosen word: earnest. Was it not our God who earnestly pursued Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? Wasn’t it the Creator of Heaven and Earth who delivered His people from Egypt? Time and time again, He came to our rescue with instructions to ensure our safety. I love the words that the psalmist used here as it communicates total abandon and surrender in a few words.

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You

After all, You are my God.

What should I do then, for the God who intentionally left His Throne for me? Has anyone ever made sure that you were sought out for a party or gathering? I have. I had a friend who intentionally invited me to attend a Billy Graham crusade in Portland, Oregon one year. The kindness of this friend re-established a connection that I needed.

What is your story? How did God earnestly seek you?

Having that personal relationship with the Lord is important. It is not about religion... we do not seek after that. But having a relationship with my Lord was not always that easy. With distractions aplenty, it is difficult to treat the time with God as an item on a to-do list. I am telling on my self but it is my hope that transparency will help someone else know that relationship that He desires with us starts with time with Him. Intentionally setting aside time with Him.

How does God see relationship with us? He has shown us in His word. He walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day before the fall. He sent His Son for us. For our Father in Heaven, relationship with us is very personal. After all, He knits us together in our mother’s womb. He knows everything about us.

By thirsting for more of His presence, the psalmist continues…

I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You,

in a dry and parched land where there is no water

Have you ever had a thirst that nothing could satisfy except water? I have. I believe that many reading this today would say the same thing. His Word and presence satisfy my thirst completely. For in John 4:14a (NKJV), “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst again”. Praise You, Lord! I once was broken and empty. Then my Jesus made me whole and full of Living Water. After meeting the woman at the well, Jesus taught us an important truth. Sharing hope and ministering to others satisfies our souls in a way that physical food cannot. In a day and time when there are so many in need, physically and spiritually, let us remember the sharing of the Gospel.

O Lord, saturate my soul and spirit with the Living Water and prepare me with the Word of God to share with others the hope I have in You so that they can never thirst again. Let me never lose the wonder and awe of who You are. I pursue relationship with You. In Jesus Name. Amen.