Thirsting for God

Desert's Hand, Chile

O God, you are my God,

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.

(from Psalm 63)

For what do you thirst?

Currently I am receiving physical therapy to improve my balance. The therapist works me through a set of exercises designed to strengthen certain leg muscles and sensitize my brain. 

After completing some of the exercises, the therapist pauses and asks me if  I need to rest or need water. Usually, I am doing fine and don't need either.

The image above suggests to me that we can experience a profound stillness and isolation. 

This isn't such a bad thing because the Desert Fathers have shown that stillness and isolation can motivate us to reflect on the things which satisfy our deep thirst.

The poet of Psalm 63 says it's his soul that thirsts for God. The poet is looking everywhere to satisfy the thirst and it feels like searching in places where there is no water.

Finally, the poet concludes it is the steadfast love of God that will satisfy the deepest, most profound thirst.

The message of hope in the poet's writing is that because of God's unfailing love, our souls' thirst will be satisfied.

In my first church there was a retired, single Math teacher living in the desert of cancer. She had received chemo multiple times, but it was apparent the cancer was continuing to conquer her body.

She was well aware of this.

I visited her regularly for conversation, prayer and scripture reading.  Her favorite verses were from Psalm 121:

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help?

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth."

Her soul was thirsting for God and God satisfied that deepest thirst through the poet's writing in Psalm 121.