My Soul Longs for You

""My Soul Longs for You"" contains 30 daily readings on the theme of the Christian's longing and thirsting for more of God. Suitable for any time of year.
Psalm 42: My God, I Thirst for You
Day 1: Thirsting for God is Natural--and Necessary
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (Psalm 42:1)
What a beautiful picture from nature--a deer going down to the stream to drink. Nothing could be more natural than an animal's desire to quench its thirst! It is equally as true for plants and humans as it is for the animals--water is essential for life.
In Western countries, where most people have a reliable water supply connected to their homes, we have almost lost the understanding that without water, we die. But there are still many people in the majority world who travel great distances daily to find a source of water to survive. This helps us understand that the picture in this Psalm goes much deeper than mere thirst. The psalmist clearly saw that without God, he could not survive.
God created everything in the beginning, and gives life to all living things. He breathed into Adam, who consequently became a living soul (Gen 2:7). Hence by nature, humankind cannot experience life without God. The tragedy of Adam's disobedience in Eden was that humanity became separated from the source of its life, as sin broke our relationship with God. Jesus Christ came to forgive our sin, restore our relationship with God and reconnect us with the source of life. Thirsting for God is as natural--and necessary--as breathing!
Prayer
Lord, you created us in the beginning, and all life comes from you. We thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ, who has reconnected us with you, the source of true life. And we thank you for the desire that you have formed in our hearts, to continue to share that life with you. Our God, we thirst and long for you, and hunger to know you more. Amen.