Thirst for God
Opening Prayer
God, make me thirsty for You alone… and satisfy as only You can.
Read PSALM 143:1-12
[1]A psalm of David. LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. [2] Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you. [3] The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead. [4] So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. [5] I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. [6] I spread out my hands to you; I thirst for you like a parched land. [7] Answer me quickly, LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. [8] Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. [9] Rescue me from my enemies, LORD, for I hide myself in you. [10] Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. [11] For your name’s sake, LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. [12] In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What is the cry of your heart?Unlike David, we may not have had the experience of being pursued relentlessly by an enemy (3). On the other hand, we may well have felt the constant pressure of living or working with someone we find incredibly difficult. That pressure can be literally unbearable, crushing (3,4). Does David’s cry for relief (1) echo with your feelings at such times?Pressure and difficulty often leave us even more aware of our own sin in contrast to God’s righteousness (2). Not all difficulty is a direct result of sin. On the other hand difficulty can prompt a right self-examination (Psa. 139:23,24). Looking back can be helpful at such times (5), especially when it is focused on what God has done rather than on our failure. What is clear here is that David is desperate. Just one look from God will do (7). And desperate times draw out desperate prayers from us. David makes 11 direct requests to God (7-11). Try to identify them now. Which ones are directly relevant to your situation? Ultimately David’s need was God himself (6). His thirst for God needed to be quenched.
Apply
“My goal is God himself, not joy, nor peace, / Nor even blessing, but himself, my God” (Frederick Brook).
Closing prayer
Lord, only You, the Fountain of Living Water, can quench my thirst and satisfy my soul.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.