January 9 – Psalm 42:1

Posted by Jan Ross

"As the hart [deer] panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." (Psalm 42:1)

The very life and breath of holy love . . . the depth of longing beyond human desire.

The Psalmist paints for us a picture of intense desire, unquenchable thirst, and unfathomable longing for nothing other than God, yet still more and more of Him.

Herein is described a desperate thirst and anxious desire for God … not the rituals, the ordinances, or the sacrifices, but such desire was for the person of God, to know Him, to love Him, to embrace Him—the Living God! God was recognized as the Fountain of Life, the only Fountain that can quench a truly thirsty soul.

It is the soul that pants, the soul that thirsts, which speaks to us not only of sincerity, but also of the strength of true desire. The longing deep within the heart of the Psalmist is compared to the panting of a deer which is naturally hot and dry, especially after being hunted. So does his gracious soul desire communion with God, showing impatience, exemplifying NEED of the TRUE thirst-quencher. Nothing short of this sweet communion with God could ever hope to satisfy this longing; no pleasure known to mankind could ever suffice!

In comparison to the Psalmist's plea for an encounter with the Ever Flowing Fountain, how strong is your desire to know God, to love Him, to embrace Him?

Lord, I must confess that there are many times my desire to commune with You is not as intense as it should be, but I am so thankful for the Psalmist's words today which provoke me to long after You, to thirst after You, to desire You more than ever before. Father, I accept this challenge to reach for a deeper communion with You as I find myself seeking after the very life and breath of holy love found only in knowing You in a greater way than ever before. Father, I love you. I thirst for You! Amen!

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at Tuesday, January 08, 2008 . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

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Jan Ross, Author
Today's Devotion

Jan is passionate about the Lord and the Body of Christ as she ministers through the ministry of Heart of God International. In spite of her active involvement in world missions, she eagerly serves in her local church. Jan is an ordained licensed minister, the mother of a large, busy family, and serves as a short-term missionary. She is a published author and partners together with Jeanice McDade to establish fruitful foreign evangelistic ministries.

For personal contact information and to learn more about Jan and, her family and her ministry, please visit her website at janross.org.