Come to the Waters

 

This poor skeleton creature must have been suffering from the above average temperatures of this Texas October. It had gone to considerable effort to climb up this fountain in order to get a drink of water to quench its thirst. Apparently it is even too hot for skeletons this Halloween.

We all know what it is to thirst for something. Water on a hot day. Success. Companionship. Love. A new beginning. Perhaps at the bottom of all our thirsting is the desire to know and to be at peace with God. The Psalmist put it this way:

“As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, my God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When can I go and meet with God?

My tears have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God

under the protection of the Mighty One

with shouts of joy and praise

among the festive throng.

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.”

God is ever present with us, longing to quench our deepest thirst as much as we long to have it quenched. When I was growing up in church, we sang a song with this phrase in the chorus: “Come to the waters, stand by my side. I know you are thirsty, you won’t be denied.” We have the opportunity to quench our thirst. Why wouldn’t we come and drink?

Peace.