A Thirst and Hunger for God (27/11/2019)
By Pastor Aggrey Soyekwo
Psalms 42:1-2 “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?”- NIV
Thirst and hunger are psychological signals by the body for water and food. These nourish the body and enable it function and live as expected. When one no longer feels thirsty and hungry, it is a dangerous signal. It indicates the body is diseased. The Psalmist used an analogy of the manner in which the deer pants as it runs around from one point to another looking for water, to show how he longed for God. At that time, anything else can wait until the deer gets water, many times against serious risks from predators which strategically position themselves to attack.
Our souls should long for God similarly. When, in our walk with God, we are driven by a thirst and hunger to know and live for Him, our every activity, energy, time and other resources will be channeled towards finding and being with God. Prayer, fellowship, fasting, serving and surrender to God, being means of communion with God, will naturally come. No one will push another. At the same time, things that affect one’s relationship with God will not be allowed. When such a thirst and hunger after God dies out, there is cause to worry about your spiritual health. You are dying!
What is the state of your relationship with God? Do you still long for deep communion with Him? Is He still the desire of your heart, or have other things taken His place in your heart? A continuous thirst and hunger after God are key signs of a healthy relationship with God. Watch out when you are losing interest for the things of God and easily miss them without much regrets. If this has happened, He can still restore you to the point of declaring; “… O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”( Psalms 63:1).
Psalms 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Shalom children of God.