May 11 - Psalm 42:1-2a

As the deer longs for the waterbrooks,

so longs my soul for you, O God.

My soul is athirst for God,

athirst for the living God.

Psalm 42:1-2a

 

I don't do this often, so maybe you'll try it when I ask you to do this today: Memorize this verse!

 

Let me tell you why ... Every day, I try to spend meaningful time with God. And I don't know about you, but I need discipline in doing that. My schedule is overwhelming. So my human tendency is to charge out headlong into the activities of the day, tackling as much as is humanly possible. And then I fall into bed empty.

 

There's a problem with this method. Charging out in busyness without first charging up my spiritual batteries with God leaves me running on my own power ... which runs out way too quickly.

 

I know that, so I try to focus on God first and foremost. Indeed, I try many methods to do that. I try ... Prayers ... Devotions ... Bible Reading ... Quiet time ... Journaling ... Studies. And each works for a while! Then the habit fades. So when the habit fades -- and I find myself running out of charge -- I go back to my basics. I go back to an old liturgy which I pray religiously until a new pattern emerges.

 

And the first verse I pray is: "As the deer longs for the waterbrooks, so longs my soul for you, O God. My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God."

 

As I pray this, I am reminding myself what I am truly hungry and thirsty for ... God! I am reminding myself of why am I parched and empty and drained ... because I long for God like a deer pants for water.

 

Memorize this verse so you can recall it every time you feel empty.

 

In Christ's Love,

a deer

(a John Deere?)