Dear Friends,
Over the last few days it has been lovely to have some rain fall on the parched earth. It has greedily lapped the rain up as the ground has become so parched. The bird bath has constantly needed to be re-filled as the birds and squirrels searched for water. One squirrel spent ages drinking – as though his very life depended on it.
As Christians we too can become very parched and dry. We see that in Psalm 42 – the Psalmist describing becoming like a deer, panting for the water he needs as his soul longs for God. He says that his soul ‘thirsts for God’. We can experience the same thing. Running around so busy with this and that, we forget to stop and drink from the Living Water, the fountain of life. We forget to stop and meet with the Lord.
In Psalm 42 we see the deep thirst comes from the deep pain in his soul. The beauty of these verses is not just that it describes the problems the Psalmist is facing but also the solution he found to his problems – putting his hope and trust in God, praising him whatever is happening, and remembering God as his place of refuge and strength.
As we call to God from the depths of our hearts so that sweet intimacy of his Presence floods us – refreshing, restoring, renewing. There is only One who can satisfy that deep thirst of our souls and that is Jesus. I pray that, in whatever you are facing, you will know his sweet Presence refreshing and restoring you, giving you fresh hope.
With love,
Jane