THE DESERT
Andrea Porter
Today’s Scripture: “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1, ESV
Theme: As believers, we should continually be growing in our passionate desire to know God intimately.
LIVING WATER NEEDED
When I look back on my years as a believer, I know there were times when I was more connected with God and other times when I was more distant from Him. When I notice myself in a spiritual desert, I recognize that I need to seek God quickly. The longer we are in a desert without Living Water, the thirstier we will become.
We all go through seasons where it seems God is not nearby; where it seems as if God is not working in our lives, or He is just silent. We pray diligently over time for God to move, but it feels as if He isn’t answering. It’s like being out in a desert without water. We feel parched. Thirsty. Desperate for a drink of the Living Water. Have you ever felt like this?
It’s in these moments that my soul thirsts and longs for God. It’s in these moments that I seek Him even more. David begins Psalm 63:1 by acknowledging that God is his God. All around the nation of Israel and even within Israel, there was rampant idol worship. Therefore, David proclaims the one true God as his God. We may not literally bow down to carved images, but most of us end up making something an idol in our lives.
BUT FIRST, GOD
David also wrote that he sought out God early. Whether this is a reference to first thing in the morning or the first place David went in times of feeling spiritual thirst, when we start out the day spending time alone with God, the entire day goes differently. As problems come up, we’ve already been covered with the Word of God that can give us different perspectives and makes us more equipped to either handle the problem in a Godly manner or to surrender the problem to the God who is in control of all. If you're thirsty for God and you’re not hearing from Him, then there is a good chance you’re not spending time studying His Word and praying.
DEHYDRATED
The longer we are in the desert, the thirstier we will become. We can become spiritually dehydrated in that the things of God become less and less important. We begin skipping church. We stop going to Life Group, and the passion and love that we once had for God shrivels up and disappears. We keep trying to quench the thirst, but often it’s with the wrong things, such as relationships, alcohol, sex, hobbies, or even work. But what our soul really needs is Jesus. It’s important to begin seeking Him as soon as the thirst begins so we are not tempted to quench our thirst with other things. Don’t put it off until tomorrow. Start today seeking God.
WE [ALWAYS] NEED MORE LIVING WATER
Sometimes God leads us into the desert to cause us to be thirsty for Him. We may still be spending time in Bible study, prayer, and worship, but we still feel as if we are in the spiritual desert. When we are thirsty and long for Him, we seek Him more diligently than other times. God may be inviting you into a deeper relationship with Him. If you can’t seem to get out of the “spiritual desert,” then spend time in the Bible, seeking to understand more about God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to learn what God wants to reveal to you about Himself.
Make It Personal: If you’re feeling parched spiritually, do some soul searching. Be sure you have not given people or things a position of more importance than God. Start by thinking about where you spend most of your time and money. What are the things you crave or long for? Do you long for these more than you long for a personal relationship with God? If so, then you may have let an idol sneak into your life. Confess it to God and renew your commitment to Him and make Him the center of your life.
Pray: Lord, you are always there in the dry seasons and the plentiful ones. Thank you for providing everything I need in both. Help me to seek you first, return to you when I notice I’ve slipped away, and thank you for leading and teaching me. You are a good God. I confess that sometimes I let other pursuits and goals get in the way of my relationship with you. Please forgive me and help me to seek you first. Amen.
Read: Psalm 63:1-8, 119:147, 105:41, 68:4-5
Weekly Memory Verse: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27, ESV