so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Psalm 42:1-2
Sometimes as I sit in worship, my mind wanders. Shocking, I know. I sure this never happens for anyone else, but it does for me. The preaching is what makes this happen most of the time. Something will be said from the stage, and it triggers a tangent in my mind.
That happened recently, and it is turning into this blog post. On February 28, 2021, Matt preached on Hebrews 11:13-16. As he unpacked this scripture, he pointed to the word “longing” as the key to this passage. I was already singing Psalms 42 when he quoted it. My soul longs for God, just as a wild animal longs to drink the cool, clear water of the stream.
In my first blog for this site, I wrote about finding God in the wilderness. One of the experiences I had on that hike was running out of water on the trail with no clear indication of how far I was from a drinkable water supply. My body panted and longed for water (and my feet were screaming to escape my hiking boots). When I arrived at the Phantom Ranch canteen, water was there…what a blessing and a miracle!
I have learned a few things while hiking in the desert:
- Water is absolutely essential for life.
- Too much water without food is just as dangerous as dehydration. (we need the balance of the electrolytes)
Sister, we all know that Jesus is the answer. He is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no argument against that.
I sometimes forget that I also need the balance of human relationships with other believers to keep me grounded in the soul’s electrolytes. I need accountability to push me toward the synonyms Matt used for “longing.”
This might be a Journey group, a small Bible study group, or any other group of believers that you regularly meet and can be vulnerable with.
Jesus is living water. Who are your “people” that help balance the electrolytes of your soul?
Grow Anyway 