Thirsty for God

Why are we here? Why have you come? Why did you hurry to get dressed and eat breakfast and bustle the kids into the car? You are here because Your God has called you here. You are here because the Triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit is Your God, and you have no other God, and He has promised to meet you here today. You are gathered here at the first light, early on the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day, the beginning of the new world on the day our Lord rose from the dead. But you are here because you are thirsty. Your soul is thirsty. We are here because our flesh longs for God in a dry and thirst land. And we have come to His sanctuary to see His power and glory. This means that we come eagerly, expectantly. We gather hungry looking for food, desperate looking for love, weary looking for rest. We serve the God of many blessings, countless blessings, and we have enjoyed those blessings this week: family, friendship, food, laughter, shelter, work, sleep and much more. And while we must not forget these gifts, we must not allow any of them to be substituted for the Giver. These are true gifts, good gifts, abundant gifts, and we can and should revel in them all. But if we understand them as gifts they must drive us to the Giver. If He gives such grace, our souls should long for Him.

“O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.” (Ps. 63:1-2)