“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” - Psalm 42 (NIV)
She is one of the sweetest ladies I have had the privilege to serve as a pastor, but she was quiet. So that night when she called Debbie over during the Wednesday evening meal, she knew it was something important.
She started by saying she had noticed that every Wednesday night that I kept a huge glass of water with me and refilled it at least once if not more often each evening. She was concerned about me and wondered if I had ever had my blood-sugar tested. Excessive thirst, after all, is one symptom of diabetes.
Well, Debbie let her know that although my blood sugar had not been checked recently she really didn’t need to worry. She explained that what she didn’t know was that I was in the midst of training to run a marathon and every Wednesday afternoon shortly before we gathered for dinner I went out to do a six mile run in Kansas heat. My thirst for water was caused not by sickness, but by physical exertion.
Water, of course, is an essential element for our lives. Our bodies are designed to “thirst” for water when we become dehydrated. But there are many reasons a person can become dehydrated! Sometimes it is because a person is sick and the body doesn’t retain fluids. Sometimes it can be because of the environment in which one lives. And sometimes it can be because we have been physically exerting ourselves. But whatever the reason, when we thirst it is a sign to us that our body needs something, namely water!
All of this reminds me that just as our body needs water, our soul needs the living water for its health and well-being. Our soul - our inmost being - desires and needs to be touched and filled by the Spirit of God routinely if we are to be the people we were created to be, full of life, hope and able to give of ourselves in service to God and to others. And because we know this we encourage folks to take dedicated time away to seek God’s face and to be filled again with Christ’s Spirit. But sometimes we think this is important only for those who may be in crisis or who have a special need because they are in “professional” ministry.
And yet there are many reasons that we can become spiritually “dehydrated” – the busyness of our lives as we try to balance work, family and other demands, the existence of sin or selfish desires in our lives, physical and emotional exhaustion, emotional disappointments and fears, sickness or maybe it is just the business of living out our calling and ministry but forgetting to take time to take care of ourselves. When we find ourselves spiritually dehydrated we need to drink again from the living water.
The theme for this year’s SoulJourner’s retreat is “Thirsting for God”. Not only will this be a time when people can be filled again with Christ’s Spirit during the worship and workshops, it will also be a time when we will learn some ways we can ward off spiritual dehydration in the future by learning and practicing some of the ancient spiritual exercises that have been staples for those who have thirsted for God throughout the centuries. Many of these exercises you probably have already encountered in your spiritual walk. The real secret to any spiritual exercise is simply to drink from the cup of the Living Water by being in Christ’s presence in an attentive and receptive way. So if you thirst, drink of the living water! And if you are having trouble finding that presence in your life, talk to your pastor, a friend or some other guide who can help you find that water again. Or come join us at the SoulJourner’s Retreat! For as you drink again of His Love and Grace, you will find your thirst quenched and your spirit renewed.
Prayer: Oh, God… as I wonder through a dry and barren land, let me not become accustomed to my thirst for Your love so that I am content with dryness and want. Instead, let me know what it is to have my cup filled to the brim with your love and overflowing that other’s may enjoy the abundance of your love in my life. Amen.
Steve Van Ostran
Executive Minister
ABCRM |
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