Psalm 42:2
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
The Deer is driven by thirst for water and its longings will not allow it to rest until it has found the brook to drink from. The deer will drink until it’s fully satisfied its thirst and is refreshed. Are you like the deer when it comes to drinking the water of life?
Here the Psalmist expresses his deepest longings to be alone with God. He is driven by his thirst for the Presence of the living God. This is an excellent picture of intimacy and the effects that regular time alone with God has on those who converse with Him.
You aren’t really concerned about others when you are so thirsty; your only focus is to satisfy the deepest longings of your heart. This is how you should feel about your time together with God.
Many believers who practice regular time alone with God, pray much of the time in for others. Although intercession is a priority it should never be your highest priority. Imagine being seated at the table feeding others around you never stopping to enjoy the company of the one you’re there to dine with.
Enjoying yourself is the whole point of meeting regularly with God alone. To be fed the bread of heaven and to drink freely the water of life while getting to know Him better. This is your time together.
Your devotional time is your personal meal time eating with God at His table.
This is “your” time with God to sit and enjoy what He has prepared for you. It’s here where you can ask Him anything and He will answer you. God wants you to enjoy the beauty of intimate two way conversations with Him. He has created you for that purpose.
Learn to allow the Holy Spirit to speak with you, let Him teach you, experience Him revealing Christ to you in greater dimensions than you ever thought possible, and see if you won’t begin to hunger and thirst for His Presence – looking forward to your next meeting together.
Here is where you will receive His instructions, His directions, and His assessment of you. This is where you will learn the most about God and in the process learn the most about yourself. This is a place that is to be most sacred to you, guard it closely and be very selfish with your time alone with God. It is the only time God wants you to forget others… it’s you and Him alone.
So come and dine with God daily and feast on His every word to you. Be instructed, directed and corrected by Him – secure in the atmosphere of infinite love. Long for your time together, always be looking forward to your meetings with God, be excited to dine with Him, and Be Encouraged. -JSP