I - GEMS FROM PSALMS - 9

I – GEMS FROM PSALMS – 9

For what do you have a deep longing in your heart?  A young person might have a longing to be able to drive.  Sometimes there is a longing for a soul-mate.  As family grows there might be a longing for a larger home.  Perhaps a longing to see or be with someone that has been away for some time becomes real.  Probably everyone has some longing for some thing or some one.

Ps.42:1   A deep longing for God and spiritual things is expressed as a deer longing for water.  In this time of drought we can picture this great need and desire as steams become dry.  Water is necessary for life.  Water is used as an expression of spiritual food.  Too often our spiritual lives are like dried-up streams.  How deep is our longing for our God and for spiritual food?  Is it like a deer that has been running and stops and pants for water.  Our need is to develop this deep longing for God and His Word as the deer pants for water. 

Ps.42:2   Our thirsty soul cannot be satisfied with things of this world for which we might long.  This longing needs to be much deeper.  Ps.63:1   Our God is a living God.  As we long for Him, He can supply.  Things of this world may suffice for a time but they all will deteriorate or die.  Matt.6:19-21   Our God is not only living, He is everlasting.  Jer.10:10   The Thessalonians were commended because they had turned from idols to a living and true God.  1 Thess.1:9   People make “stuff” or people with a lot of charisma their idols.  This all changes in time and there is no lasting satisfaction.  Go with what can satisfy our thirsty souls forever.  Ps.107:9

Jesus gave us the answer.  Matt.5:6   Blessed (deep-felt joy) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…You mean there is joy when we hunger and thirst for righteousness?  The next phrase answers this question.  For they shall be satisfied.  If we have been extremely hungry or thirsty, what joy there is when we finally are able to have food and water.  We may not have known that feeling to the extreme that some have experienced.  However, to whatever extent, there is joy in finally being satisfied. 

So often we hunger and thirst for the wrong things.  It is our human “self” that we want to satisfy.  Earthly satisfaction is like an attempt to fill a broken cistern.  Jer.2:13   We are satisfied for a short duration and then become thirsty again.  Job called out, Oh that I knew where I might find Him.  Job.23:3   This is the cry of a truly thirsty soul.  Oh that we might have that thirst.

The answer is in front of us if we would but heed.  Jesus gives the answer in Jhn.7:37,38.   If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  The woman at the well did not understand the kind of water Jesus was talking about.  Jhn.4:13,14   Jesus gave the contrast of earthly water and spiritual water.  Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again.  This was water to fulfill our earthly desires.  Then He presents the water that will be for eternity.  …the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.  What a difference!  We have to make the choice as to which kind of water we will seek to quench our thirst.

When our thirst is quenched in God’s way, we travel on the Way of Holiness as found in Isa.35:6-8,10   This description describes such a change that happens in our lives.  …the unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way;…Our thirst becomes different.  We no longer want to become just like the world.  Rom.12:2   We can sing with David, My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord…This is our thirst.  Ps.84:2,10

Famine for the words of the Lord does exist.  Amos warns of this famine.  Amos 8:11   Again, Jesus has the answer.  Jhn.6:35   …he who believes in Me will never thirst.  If we do not believe (which includes obedience  It would be strange to believe and then not obey the one in whom you believe.), there will be consequences.  Lk.6:25   Woe is not good.  The exclusion of the spiritual will not bring good results.  Jhn.6:27   Work for the food which endures to eternal life. 

This will bring joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment to our souls.  Isa.12:3,4   What a promise is given in Ezek.36:26,27.   Isaiah reaches out to those that thirst with an invitation found in Isa.55:1-3.  …Why do you spend money…for what does not satisfy?  We want and then buy.  It does not last so we throw and want again, then buy.  On and on this goes without satisfaction that is lasting.

As the Word of God ends, the promise is given:  I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.  Rev.21:6,7   We do have some “overcoming” to do on the Way of Holiness but we have this promise if we overcome.  Revelation gives the invitation…let the one who is thirsty come…And again we note the phrase water of life.   Rev.22:17