The more my life is about putting God first, focusing on God rather than worldly desires, the more I discover myself thirsting like the deer who “pants for the water”.
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.” -Psalm 42:1
I didn’t realize how deeply I yearned for God, until one day, out-of-the-blue, I experienced a kind of vertigo, as if some force pulled a rug from beneath me. For several moments I felt suspended in mid-air, falling into a bottomless canyon. When I came to awareness, I felt an intangible longing, as if for someone I loved, long gone. Nothing in my life would indicate such a need, a longing. I’m loved by my husband, my son, friends and family. I have a roof over my head and a solid floor beneath my feet. My life often feels filled with meaning.
In reflecting on this strange vertigo, I realized an existential fear threatened my seeming well-being, and I longed for Jesus. I longed deeply for full immersion in Christ, for embodying Jesus’ words, “you are in me, and I am in you“. I longed for knowing, no matter if a rug were pulled out from beneath me, that, in the words of mystic Julian Norwich,“All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.” I thirsted for a cup brimming over, for deep-sea diving, a plunge into the fountain of God’s everlasting springs, drenched in the living water Christ’s spoke of to the Samaritan women at Jacob’s Well.
“A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?”
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” John 4:9-10
Jesus tells her, unlike the water you seek, the water he offers will make her eternally, thirst-free. Like me, she yearns for such long-term thirst quenching.
This weekend, my adventurous husband took me on another surprise hike, 6 miles in search of a waterfall he heard flowed over boulders of volcanic rock. It’s important to know Southern California is in midst of a serious drought. Our communities are on ‘drought watch’, meaning we’re limited on days we can water our garden. We even planted a cactus garden in our backyard, as tempting as it was to pass up the vibrant, colorful snapdragons and impatiens at the garden shop. Tan-colored fields filled with brittle, bone-dead plants dot our thirsty landscape, I often imagine them fields of flowers like Monet’s garden scenes. So our hiking excursions often become like scavenger hunts for water.
What a glorious hike it was, through, yes, long stretches of parched fields, but also through deep woodsy areas sheltered by ancient oaks, magical sycamore groves, abundant with flourishing fauna, with a creek weaving like a vein through the heart of the preserve. The winding paths took us far from the sounds of city traffic, deep into the silence of the wood where we found a poet lover posted soulful poems about nature and soul-searching on posts, under rocks, on trailhead markers, reminding us of our utter need for God and the earth’s great beauty we’ve been gifted.
We shall be “like a tree planted by the streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither.” – Psalm 1:3
After long stretches of trail without shelter, we hid in a grove of towering oaks, dodging the scorching sun and 85 degree heat. Sharing one water container, we took tiny sips. Immersed in this magical wilderness, wiping off sweat from our brows, we greeted the ancient grandmother trees with a smile.
Making our way through this ancient forest, back on the open sky trail, following a long, dusty winding trail, finally we reached our destination and treasure. Nestled in towering volcanic rock formations, small cascading waterfalls dropped into refreshing pools nestled in artistic volcanic rock formations.
My husband jumped right in, immersed, drenched, thirst quenched.
“My soul thirsts for God, the living God” – Psalm 42:2
“Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!” – Jesus, John 7:37
“Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat!” – Isaiah 55:1
God’s love satisfies “thy soul in drought, and strengthen thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a water-spring, whose waters deceive not.” – Isaiah 58:11
“Abide in Me, and I in you.” – Jesus, John 15:4
“They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat”- Revelations”. – 7:16
“It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life.” – Revelations 21:6
WE LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!
Well . . . did you jump in?! I’m realizing such longing and desire is a gift. Nurture it, follow it, tend its flame. Thanks for linking up!
Love this! Such a beautiful, tangible image of thirsting after God. Also, as someone from So Cal, I totally get the deep need for some greenery and a respite amidst the crazy traffic/congestion/smog!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Amanda, so glad for your time reading the blog. Thankfully Southern California also has some amazing areas to visit not to far from the city areas where we can enjoy the beauty of nature!
Thanks for stopping by my site today Kathy. Looks like you both had a great hike! I love your story here and your willingness to share what God reveals to you. I am thankful that I never grow tired of hearing from my Savior. Time in His word refreshes my spirit and is nourishment to my soul. I pray my heart will continue to pant for Him every day. I hope you have a fantastic week and may God bless you and yours.
thank you Horace for visiting and for your thoughtful comment. Your faithful heart reveals a gentle and yearning spirit!
These are such blessed moments, when we are reminded of the fundamental importance of nurturing our intimacy with the Lord. My favorite verse is not related to “quenching” per se, but talks about one great desire:
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4
Love that scripture from Psalm 27..it’s another example of being drenched..’dwelling’ is so similar!
I enjoyed reading this! Thank you for the encouragment.
thanks much Starla!
Gorgeous tale! God was probably smiling as you two continued seeking the waterfall through the sweltering heat, not seeing any hint of it, but trusting it was there and that you’d find it. I imagine him thinking, “How wise of my children”, as you rationed your water reserves. And his joy likely swelled to see you discover the treasure you sought. Thanks for reminding us what quenching from God feels like!
Thank you Linda for your precious comment!!
Our whole existence is to live for the Lord and to honor and praise Him. When I focus on the temporal, fleeting pleasures of life, there is a drought in my being. I am thankful we are given His promises to bring us into a place where our thirst can find the satisfying water in our spirit that God brings to us. Your journey into the wilderness of Southern CA to find the refreshing water is a great picture of how we need to seek the eternal water of life that will satisfy completely. Even in No. California where I live, there is a need to conserve water. It is wonderful to know the Lord will continually quench our thirst as we seek Him with our whole heart.
Thanks so much for visiting Kathy, your words speak the truth, “When I focus on the temporal, felleting pleasures of life, there is a drought in my being”. Always when I feel that void, I know I’ve turned to the world for nourishing that can never be satisfied. Blessings in Northern CA!
Beautiful. I love how your husband just jumped in! And what a blessing, to see poetry on your walk with words of eternity. Yes, He’s got the water of life for us, the endless well that He invites us to drink in. Thanks for refreshing me today!
It was a hot day here! My husband was more brave than I! But always I’m refreshed with time closer to God in the great outdoors!
Ah… what a marvelous adventure indeed! You always seem to paint the landscape with such vivid descriptions… lacing God’s truth with your words. Once again, I feel moved by it all- drawing ever closer to God through your message.
I wish I lived near you, so I could join you on these magnificent hikes Kathy! I feel like you can taste God’s splendor… And that poet surely helped the inspiration along as well. 🙂 Too cool.
I love that you two do things like this together, and I hope you splashed RIGHT ON IN THERE after him! It just looks like heaven.
I wish you lived nearby, too! I’d love taking you on some of these journeys..The outdoors always revive me, and draw me closer to God! It’s interestingnow my son is pretty much on his own..there’s more time for hiking with my husband..not always easy with kids!
A new season!