Thoughts for reflection . . . (Thirst)

How thirsty am I to know God? How much do I hunger after righteousness and desire to be conformed to the likeness of Christ in my character, words and actions?

We have every reason for such an intensity of desire towards the Lord: He redeemed our lives from eternal destruction through giving Himself for us on the cross; in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2.3); eternal life itself is knowing God and Jesus Christ (John 17.3); in His presence is fulness of joy ... (Ps 16.11). The Scriptures are full of such examples that should inspire an intense longing to know God.

The Psalmist wrote in Ps 42.1 'As the hart pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God:'

It's very easy in the context of Church meetings or listening to Gospel music to sing songs of being hungry and thirsty for God, but is my daily life reflecting that hunger and thirst?

A hungry and thirsty man when placed before food and drink will devour it. He will make the most of the provision laid before him to quench the thirst and satisfy the hunger.

In Ps 23.5 the Scripture declares 'Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies'. God lays before us the provision of His Word and access by grace (Eph 2.8, Heb 4.16) into His presence. My hunger and thirst for God will be measured by how I take hold of that provision. It will be seen by how frequently I sit at that table and feed on His Word through study and meditation, whether my thoughts are continually drawn with a desire to spend time in God's presence in prayer.

Our world is so full of 'other things' that can come into our lives and consume our thoughts, time and energy. And one of the tactics of the enemy of our souls is to choke us (Luke 8.14) and distract us with these things so that we don't bare fruit.

May I continually be making room in my life so that I allow that hunger, thirst and desire for God to arise within me. Closing the door on the distractions this world offers and running to His table to partake of His goodness.

Jesus' promise in Matt 5.6 is 'Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.' What a promise!! - we will be filled with the righteousness we hunger and thirst after. We will see the Lord forming Christlikeness in us, He who is our righteousness (1Cor1.30).

- sent from Palm T|T3