By Judy Villanueva
Psalm 42:1-3
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
“It is not your idea, not your understanding, not your thinking, not your reasoning, not even your profession of faith, that here can quench the thirst. The home-sickness goes out after God Himself…It is not the Name of God but God Himself Whom your soul desires and can not do without.” (Abraham Kuyper, To Be Near unto God)
I love when I get a “secret clue”! When I read this, I thought, “Yes! Soul-quenching rest and here is a secret clue as to how to get it!” Ok, I admit that short cuts and “voila, poof, all done” strategies are part of my prayer life. “Just change me, Lord!”, “Just heal her, Lord!”, “Just fix it, Lord!”, “Just do it, Lord!”. I can’t help it…it’s what comes first. But then, in the waiting and in my annoyance that I have to wait, I eventually settle down and look up. I tucker myself out and finally quiet down enough to feel the movement of God urging me to look at Him.
“Child, look at me. Who am I? I am Wonder. I am Beauty. I am Power. I am Goodness. I am Holy. I am Kindness. I am Love. I am the breeze that just blessed you, the colors in all that surrounds you, the laughter that delights you. I am in all and through all. I AM. Ssshhh, quiet down now, you’re ok…come look at Me.” And, as I sit next to the world that God made, I feel Him draw near…as I listen to His still, small voice and sit up straight in full attention…as I look at Him as best I can, there comes a rest and a joy that fills my thirsty soul.
“Abba Father, help me to quiet down, slow down and notice You in, around, and through all of my life today. You are all that I need every day. Help me to want You more than I do! Thank You that you are the one, true ‘Secret Clue’— the Living God that came to quench my thirst and be my place of rest. Amen.”
What about you?
Do you thirst for God?
Do you ever feel an angst or restlessness that you cannot seem to fill? Can you describe it?
Do you need to slow down, quiet down and look at God? What helps you “look at God”?
Do you know that God desires to be your soul-quencher, your place of rest?
Slow down and, as best you can, notice God in, around, and through your life today?
