The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 42, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” When discussing this passage in his commentary on the Bible, Adam Clarke writes, “The deer feels himself almost entirely spent; he is nearly hunted down; the hunting dogs are in full pursuit; he is parched with thirst; and in a burning heart pants after the water, and when he comes to the river, he plunges in as his last refuge. Thus pursued, spent, and nearly ready to give up the ghost, the psalmist pants for God, for the living GOD! for Him who can give life.”
When Jesus was teaching and giving what is commonly called “the Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5, He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
When was the last time we wanted to know God and follow Him so badly that we were THIRSTY and HUNGRY to know Him? When was the last time (if ever) that He ALONE was what we sought after. When we entirely laid aside the cares of this world, the desires of the flesh, the pride and passions of our heart, and said “I WANT TO KNOW GOD!”?
Most Christians have not even begun to experience what God offers to those who COMPLETELY give Him their lives, to those who seek after Him with ALL of their hearts and everything they have. We go running down all sort of rabbit trails in this life, chasing after things that don’t matter at all, or even worse things that can and will destroy our lives. It’s like the deer that is being hunted and chased through the forest turning around and running back towards the hunters. If it does that – it’s surely dead! Instead, if it’s a wise deer, it runs the opposite direction, AWAY from those who would harm it, and towards safety.
Listen to what Psalm 84:11,12 says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!”
What is it about everything else that attracts our attention and desires? Why do we believe the lies this world makes to us, when ALMIGHTY GOD has said, “FOLLOW ME, and I’LL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED?”
“Blessed are those who HUNGER and THIRST for righteousness, for they SHALL be SATISFIED.” Forget EVERYTHING else and make GOD the object of your GREATEST DESIRE!!