There are advantages to living in the desert. It’s not the 112°+ temperatures. It’s not the Gila Monsters or other various monsters. Living in the desert is like a Biblical lab in being in a dry and thirsty place.
I can understand verses like Psalm 63:1 where the Psalmist declares to God that he longs for Him like parched ground thirsts desperately for rain. In Phoenix when it rains we have a crazy phenomenon of standing in our garages in the dark and watching the pellets of water crash against the concrete and asphalt.
Of late I’ve felt like this parched land. Like the deer that is dying of thirst. My time with Jesus has been longing not been there. I’m fighting my will, and my will always ends up being the champion. It is a constant struggle. The thirst is there…but the effort is not.
I feel weary.
I made the choice tonight to put my will aside. To take a harder path. The one that did not include me being lazy for the last hour before bed. I picked up my Bible, and I read. It would be just like Jesus to meet me where I am.
Thirsty!
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If any one is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scriptures have said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”” – John 7:37 & 38 ESV.
Jesus knows my struggle. He knows I’m thirsty. He cries out to my heart. I know you’re thirsty. I know you desire to be with me. I know you are struggling with your will. I’m here. I will fill you. I will refresh you. Come to me my daughter. Drink in my Word.
Crying over these words and how they resinate with me. My natural tendency is to “do” things in order to experience God in hopes that it will please Him (that is my underlining motive). I’ve been challenged to simply “press in” and enjoy God’s presence… the sad thing about that for me right now, is I don’t know how.
Feeling dry and lonely,
~M
Wrote this similar post a couple weeks ago… http://thereisatimeunderheaven.blogspot.com/2010/08/time-to-wait-for-rain.html
“My natural tendency is to “do” things in order to experience God in hopes that it will please Him.”
Isn’t that one of the oldest tricks/sins in the book. We know that doing works doesn’t bring God’s approval but we continue to do it anyways. I feel in part that I’d rather not read than to just read cause “I’m supposed to.” But God can speak even during those times. The enemy just lies to us.
I understand the dry feeling. The lonely feeling. Check back tomorrow. There is something I was debating posting, but I think I just received confirmation that I’m supposed to.
I’m praying for your heart. It is dear. As a side note, you may just dig into the Psalms. I think the Psalms could be in the Bible simply because we needed to realize that others have gone before us, walked the same path, experienced the same thirst, and loneliness.
It’s been a busy week with wrapping up summer and getting my darlin’s back to school… just saw this today, dear friend through the link you published back to this. I covet your prayers for my heart… I’ll be hoping over to Psalms today.
Digging in!!!
~M
“Come to me my daughter. Drink in my Word”
beautiful. taking a big big gulp today.
I know that thirsting all too well. Great post.
Thanks Jason. I know you’ve been struggling and God’s been walking with you too.
Hmm… “It would be just like Jesus to meet me where I am.”
So true.
I have been struggling with the feeling of being dried out. It seems like I have been so out of touch with him until he shows up at random places where I am least expecting it. I love these moments with God. I feel like he has just doused me with water. Somehow when I am about to loose my sense of love and become a dried person he drenches me in his love.
That is a wonderful feeling. I love those oasis’s.
….sigh.
Yep. Right there with you. Thanks for the reminder that He knows what I need. He is all I need. It’s really quite simple but my flesh makes it difficult.
Those hours after the kids go to bed, my “me” time, usually gets wasted on emptying my DVR, tweeting on Twitter or playing on my phone.
How much more beneficial would it be if I instead focused on building my relationship with God: prayer, worship music, listening to a sermon or reading my Bible. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the things I normally do, but it would be good for me to incorporate more of these other activities into the day too.
I agree. Taking time to veg isn’t bad, but so often we choose what’s good over what’s great. Like choosing brownies over broccoli. Brownies are good, but broccoli is better for us.
I am SO right there tonight…I spend way too much online and in things that waste time when I need to be spending time deep in His Word. I was incredibly convicted of this today as words of anger and frustration out of my mouth today (thankfully no one was around) when faced with an annoying situation. I’ve been given into too many temptations…and it is because I have not completely taken the time to be grounded in Him like I should be.
I sometimes feel so thirsty here, even though I am supposed to be the one helping others be fed and watered. This is quite a challenge…which is even MORE reason for me to get more into His Word!!
I am about to sign off and go do that. Thanks for the reminder!
Blessings, friend~
The more we water and feed, the more we need to be watered ourselves. I pray He speaks to you and refreshes you tonight.
awesome post friend – I can so relate to this: “My time with Jesus has not been there.”
It’s funny how our lives are similar – I too put aside my will and finally sat down last night to spend some time with God… to quench my thirst