Thirsting for God

Psalm 42:2

This psalm is one of longing… a psalm crying out to the LORD in the midst of difficulty and pain. As a deer pants… longs… for pure, crisp, clear, refreshing water… so does my soul long for God. As I type this … I cannot help but ask… “does MY soul PANT for God? Do I THIRST for Him…? Asking when can I come before Him?

Dear reader - the psalms are an amazing opportunity to be brutally honest with yourself. The Bible isn’t a collection of stories of people who have it together… or a list of demands from an angry deity… often we read words penned like in this psalm. Despairing cries from people in the midst of unknown pain.

But do not be mistaken - they are unknown to us … but NOT unknown to God. When we are dejected or panting or feeling the crash of waves and whip of wind… the LORD - our Savior - is not far off. When we feel parched of His Living Water, we don’t have to get our lives together before we can seek Him.

“When can [you] come and appear before God?” In Christ, that answer is anytime. Grounded in the finished work of Jesus Christ, you can approach the mercy seat of God with boldness knowing you come clothed in His righteousness, and not your own!

But… if you boldly approach the throne of the Almighty without Christ’s finished work draped on your shoulders… it is then you see what the Psalmist fears. It is there that wrath pours forth from a righteous and holy Judge. So, with this in mind I plead that if you do NOT know Jesus Christ as the Perfecter and Finisher of your faith - seek Him first.

As you understand your brokenness fully, you will see the healing in His Waters. It is this glorious Truth that washes over me daily. Cleansing me of my repented sins. May you find that same healing in the arms of our Savior!