When Life Seems Like a Dry Desert Land Our Soul Gets Thirsty
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Cry of a thirsty soul
I’ve had these words going through my mind and heart over the last several weeks—
My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. (Psalms 63:1 NKJV)
As Americans, we live in an era when so much is available that we don’t need to depend on God. So we don’t. And yet our souls—that inner essence of who we are—seem to thirst for more, as if we’re in a desert land with no water.
Added to all we have is our cultural pride in being self-sufficient. Although this can be a good quality, it isn’t when it comes to our spiritual lives. Sadly, the church in America is influenced and driven by the culture surrounding us rather than the Spirit of God.
Decades ago, AW Tozer said, “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference.”
This is just as true today as when Tozer said it over six decades ago. Why? I could point to many things, but a simple answer is our lack of childlike trust in God.
Looking to God in any sense becomes a last resort for many Christian believers rather than a first priority. Even when we feel desperate or are in dire need, we aren’t desperate for God. And so, our souls are spiritually dry, as if dwelling in a dusty desert land.
If this describes you now, or at any point in your life, read through Psalms 63 thoughtfully and prayerfully.
Scripture
A psalm by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
O God, you are my God. At dawn I search for you.
My soul thirsts for you.
My body longs for you in a dry, parched land where there is no water.
So I look for you in the holy place to see your power and your glory.
My lips will praise you because your mercy is better than life itself.
So I will thank you as long as I live. I will lift up my hands to pray in your name.
You satisfy my soul with the richest foods.
My mouth will sing your praise with joyful lips.
As I lie on my bed, I remember you.
Through the long hours of the night, I think about you.
You have been my help. In the shadow of your wings, I sing joyfully.
My soul clings to you. Your right hand supports me.
But those who try to destroy my life will go into the depths of the earth.
They will be cut down by swords. Their dead bodies will be left as food for jackals.
But the king will find joy in God.
Everyone who takes an oath by God will brag, but the mouths of liars will be shut.
(Psalm 63:1-11 GW) [Context– Psalm 63]
Reflections and Insights
A person can go without food much longer than without water. Breathing is even more of a necessity! Food, water, and breath are all essential for anyone's life. When a person is deprived of these life essentials, death is certain. And yet, the mind and spirit are also affected by this deprivation before death comes.
King David, in a time of great stress, realizes his deepest needs are more personal and spiritual than physical. This psalm expresses the cry of David's soul during a time of exile when his son Absalom stole the kingdom from him. [You can read more about this in 2 Samuel chapters 15 through 17.]
David's physical environment—a desert wilderness—matched the state of his soul. He was on the run, yet he was confident in God. He knew his greatest need and help was the Lord.
God wasn't David's last option, but his first and best one. David knew this deep in his heart. So he cries out to God with all his being, just as a wanderer in a dry, dusty desert would long for a drink of water.
David longed for God's presence and involvement in his life, saying it was better and more important than his physical life. This is the heart cry of a genuine believer. This is genuine faith.
David trusted the Lord to take care of those who pursued him. He knew God would come to his rescue, and he let everyone know it. Despite his dire situation, David’s trust in the Lord didn’t waiver.
Reflection—
The heart cry of a genuine believer with genuine faith is for God's presence and involvement in life. As David declared, “your mercy is better than life itself.” David’s trust in the Lord didn’t waiver because his dependence on and desperation for God were greater than his circumstances.
Prayer Focus—
When your circumstances seem dire and there is desperation and dryness in your soul, remember how David cried out to the Lord in faith. Declare your confidence in God. Trust God’s mercy and presence in your life through prayer to see beyond your circumstances.
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