Satisfaction for a Thirsty Soul

Satisfaction for a Thirsty Soul
Today’s Reading: Psalm 61-65
Ps. 63:1, “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My Soul thirsts for You, my Flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

Have you ever been thirsty? Not just the desire for a drink, but so thirsty that all you can think about is water? Once, when I was in college, I was working in a field (back in the days when there were no air-conditioned cabs) on a hot summer day several miles from the farmhouse. Without thinking, I headed out to the field without any water. As the sun beat down, I became more and more thirsty until that was all I could think about. My one thought was to get a drink of water. But what happens when we have spiritual thirst?

We live in a world of spiritual thirst. Deep within us is an awareness that life is not fulfilled, and so we turn to various solutions to try and satisfy this longing.   Some pursue wealth and success, believing that accumulating material possessions will bring them fulfillment. Some seek to satisfy this thirst by pursuing social issues, thinking that if they can make the world better, then they can find meaning and purpose. Others turn to pleasure in their pursuit of the American dream. While these things are not necessary wrong, they still leave us unfulfilled with a deep thirst within us for something more. No matter how much we pursue the things that give us a sense of satisfaction, we are still left with a deep longing for something more. It is one thing to have physical thirst, for a simple drink of water can bring satisfaction, but where do we find satisfaction for a thirsty soul?

In Psalm 63, David points us to the answer. David begins by expressing his deep thirst, a thirst that is illustrated by our thirst for water, but one that goes far deeper. His thirst is due to being in a spiritual wasteland where there is no spiritual drink.   David recognizes that the deepest, most profound thirst we have is the thirst for God. We live in a parched world where there is a spiritual desert. However, he does not leave us in the wasteland of a spiritual desert. Instead, he gives us hope, just as an oasis offers hope to a parched traveler in the desert.   In his search, he comes to the sanctuary of God (vs 2). It is in the house of God that he discovers his hope, for it is there that he sees God in all His power and glory. The same is true for us. Church is not just a ritual we engage in weekly. It is the place where we discover God and find Him.  When we come into the presence of God in worship, prayer, and the community of God’s people, we are enriched by God’s lovingkindness. It is a spiritual drink for a parched soul. For David, the awareness of God’s presence and character was more enriching and satisfying than anything this world can offer.

When we seek God, we find genuine satisfaction even in the trials of life. It is in God’s presence that we discover help and protection from the struggles of the world in which we live (vs. 7).  
The tragedy today is that we no longer long for God. Our soul does not thirst for God. We seek satisfaction in everything but God. When a person is dying, their natural thirst can stop functioning so that even though their body is dangerously dehydrated, they no longer feel thirsty. The same is true spiritually. When our soul stops thirsting and longing for God, there is the danger that we are on the brink of spiritual death. We need to recognize that our souls can only find satisfaction by seeking God. We need to cultivate a spiritual thirst for God, a spiritual longing for his presence and involvement in our lives. Does your life feel empty and unfulfilled? This is the indicator of spiritual thirst that can only be satisfied in God?


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