Adoration (76)

By Emeritus Prof. Mercy Olumide

True believers will hunger and thirst for God and His grace, blessing and supernatural activity in their lives.

1• To stop thirsting for God is to die spiritually; thus we must not allow anything to diminish our intense desire for the things of God. Beware of the cares of this world, the pursuit of earthly things, and the pleasures that choke out hunger and thirst for God and the desire to seek His face in prayer (Mark 4:19).

2• We should pray that our longing for God’s presence might be strengthened, our love for the full manifestation of the Holy spirit might be greater, and passion to see fullness of Christ’s kingdom and righteousness might be deepened until we cry out to Him day and night in a heartfelt thirst, even as the deer (hart) “panteth after the water brooks” in times of drought (v. 1; see Mat 5:6; 6:33).

“O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar,” (Ps 42:6).

“ My soul is cast down within me.” Those who thirst for God and yearn for a greater manifestation of His presence may experience delay. Yet the faithful believer will continue thirsting for and seeking God.

The Lord promises to bless those who hunger and thirst after righteousness rather than settle for less than His full blessing (Mat 5:6). Amid God’s silence, we must continue to press on to know God and to experience a greater measure of the Holy spirit (cf. Hos 6:1-3; Acts 2:38–39; Eph 4:11-13). We must not despair, but put our hope in God and trust in His steadfast love (vv. 8-11).

(42:1ff) There may come times when, after thirsting for God, weeping for his help, and enduring ridicule, we still do not hear his voice (42:1-3). Such times often lead to depression and discouragement, but the Psalmist discovered a remedy. He remembered God’s great blessings (42:4, 5); he realised that although God seemed silent, he was present with him (42:4, 5); he gazed upon God’s beautiful creation that proclaims his love (42:6). The Psalmist had felt billows of sorrow, but he realised that he was never adrift from God’s steadfast love (42:7,8). Finally, he faithfully expected God to act (42:11). When you cannot seem to find God, use this remedy and you will, once again, find reason to praise him.