Posted by Psalm 42:2
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
Longing for the one you Love
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? Does your soul long to be alone with Jesus?
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 Jesus. Like the Shulammite maiden in Song of songs who desired nothing more than to be alone with the King, so to the believers who have experienced the love Jesus has for them.
Many believers who practice regular time alone with God, pray much of the time for others. Although intercession is a priority it should never be your highest priority when you’re together with God. Imagine being at 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.
Captivated by His Love
This is “your” time with Jesus to sit and enjoy what He has prepared for you. It’s here where you can ask Him anything and He will answer you. He wants you to enjoy the beauty of intimate two way conversations with Him. He has created you for that purpose. His love for you is so deep that He longs for your presence infinitely more than you long for His.
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 the Kings Presence – looking forward to your next meeting together.
Remember when you first fell in love? You longed for those times alone together, you looked into the eyes of the one who’s affections had you captivated, and your heart hung on every word they said. Your focus was so intense, you would lose track of the time, and each meeting seemed to be over all too soon. Infinitely more so with Jesus.
Here is where you will receive His encouragement, His instructions, His directions, and His assessment of you. This is where you will learn the most about Him 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 Him. It is the only time Jesus wants you to forget about others… it’s you and Him alone.
So come and dine with the King daily and feast on His every word to you. Be instructed, directed and gently corrected by Him – secure in the atmosphere of His infinite love for you. Long for your time together, always be looking forward to your meetings with Him, be excited to dine with Jesus, Know that he’s waiting for you at your favorite table, and Be Encouraged! -JSP