Thirst in the wilderness
“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.”Psalm 63:1
Reflection
This psalm was written by David in the wilderness of Judah, probably during a flight. He was far from the palace, far from the temple, surrounded by stone and dust, with his life at risk. And it is there, in one of the worst places of his life, that he writes one of the most passionate prayers in the Bible: "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." The outer wilderness became a mirror of the inner one, and David knew what to do with it.
Notice the beginning: "O God, thou art my God". Before any request, a declaration of belonging. His prayer does not start with the problem, but with who his God is. Then the habit: "early will I seek thee". The first hour of the day is given to God. Not because there is spare time, but because the thirst is greater than the schedule. The wilderness taught David that, when life dries up, the soul must seek the water before anything else.
And the image of thirst is powerful: "my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee". It is not only a feeling in the head; it is a need that involves the whole body, like the thirst of someone walking for hours under the sun. It is important to notice that David feels no shame at being dry. Many people think spiritual thirst is a sign of failure ("I should be fuller"). But the psalm shows that thirst is precisely what sends the heart looking for the spring. Wildernesses tend to be the places where we learn most to thirst for God.
What wilderness are you in? Perhaps of weariness, loneliness, doubt, grief or dryness in faith. Do not be ashamed of the thirst: use it. Do as David did: begin the day seeking God, even in a few minutes, even if you feel nothing. Say aloud: "O God, thou art my God. My soul thirsteth for thee". The water that satisfies is not far from the one who seeks it. Many who crossed wildernesses said, afterward, that it was there they found the spring.
Prayer
O God, You are my God. Early will I seek You, because my soul thirsts for You. In the wildernesses of my life, let my thirst lead me to Your spring, and not to other broken cisterns. Satisfy me with Your presence, today and every day. Amen.
Put it into practice
Tomorrow morning, before opening your phone or starting tasks, spend five minutes seeking God (read this psalm and pray in your own words). Begin today by saying aloud: "O God, thou art my God".
To reflect on
Have you felt thirst for God in your present wilderness, or have you tried to quench that thirst at other springs that do not satisfy?
Bible text: King James Version (public domain).