Today, I want to talk about your deepest desires and inclinations in life. If you were to be asked – what do you want most right now? Would your answer look anything like this, “My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1).
Would your answer have anything to do with God – His person, His presence, and His power?
In our text, we see how David expressed his yearning and his longing for God. He said some very important things that I want to point your attention to today:
Firstly, he said “O God, thou art my God”
I love the confidence with which David claims personal ‘ownership’ of God here. He did not draw confidence from congregational fellowship by saying “Our God”. His pursuit of God was personal! In yearning for God, you must start from the point of personal ownership, relationship and pursuit. You cannot yearn for a God that is not personally real to you.
David then went on to say, “Early will I seek thee”
Have you ever been so eager about a trip? What did you do? You probably woke up very early to pack your bags and to get dressed - that’s if you even slept at all. Do you wake up every morning with such eagerness and enthusiasm to commune with God, to know Him more, to experience Him more, and to press deeper into Him? Make God your utmost priority, and let him be the one that tickles your fancy the most.
Another extremely important thing David said is this “My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee”
By using the two words, soul and flesh, David signifies that his pursuit for God is with the whole of his being, withholding nothing - His will, his time, his money, his energy… just name it! Can you boldly say the same of yourself?
The use of the words, thirst and long, connote a very strong desire; a desire so deep, so passionate and so genuine. Do you have such a deep and passionate desire that only a consistent day to day relationship and encounter with God can truly satisfy?
Beloved, your yearning for God must push you to pursue Him to the point where you never get enough of Him; a point where you treasure His word more than your necessary food (Job 23:12).
Finally, David made another profound statement to better qualify his thirst for God, he says, “In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is”
This shows serious desperation. Would you still seek after God in the absence of outward comforts? Would you still take a stand for God when everyone around you compromises or when you are faced with strong persecutions? Will you yearn for God, regardless of the ‘cost’?
Evaluate yourself today beloved, what are your deepest desires and inclinations in life? I encourage you today to yearn for God, seek Him with all your being and follow hard after Him all the days of your life regardless of the ‘cost’.
Remember the first and greatest commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37).
Shalom!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, help me to see you more clearly, to love you more dearly, and to follow you more nearly. I want you to become real to me personally as the Holy Spirit prompts my heart daily to press into you in Jesus Name.
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