As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God. Psalm 42:1
What beautiful metaphoric prose there is in this passage that paints such a vivid picture of one longing for the Lord. The condition of the deer is desperation, as exemplified by the panting, literally craving a drink of water in the purest sense from the mountain streams of God. How perfectly this describes our condition of soul, wandering through the forest of life, frantically searching for something to quench our thirst. But not just any drink will do, for all others leave us thirsty again. Only the fountain of God, the everlasting spring of Jesus Christ can quench the unbearable thirst of our souls. Once we are satisfied from the refreshing waters, our soul pants no more, for rest can be found by the flowing streams. A home can be made next to the perennial stream that gives rest to weary and springs forth everlasting life. Why would we leave? Why continue to search any longer?
Would we too be content to return to the same well over and over, just as the Samaritan woman, only to thirst again? Certainly Not! For just as Jesus answered to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14 How desperately our soul searches, as a deer panting for the fountain of waters. But your search does not have to continue, your thirst need not go on any longer, the desperation of your soul can be satisfied today. It’s as simple as asking like the woman at the well, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” John 4:15
Prayer: Have you wandered away from the stream Christian? There is no relief from your thirst anywhere else. All others are temporal and only increase your thirst even more. Come back to the fountain where you first found rest, that you may once again satisfy your soul. Maybe you have yet to experience the fountain of water that Jesus offers. Maybe you too are like the Samaritan woman who continually thirsts. Now is your chance friend, to quench the unbearable thirst that your soul has. A thirst that you’ve tried to extinguish with every fleeting thing. Jesus is your only source for everlasting life, believe in Him as Lord and Savior of your life, and confess to Him all those sins that you’ve been trying to quench your thirst with, that He might give you everlasting life and rest by His flowing streams.
Additional Study:
John 7:37-38 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’
Revelation 7:17 ESV For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
