NEEDING REFRESHMENT By Fern Horst
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." (Psalm 42:1-2)
I have a cat that loves to be wherever I am. If I go to the kitchen, she follows me there. If I go outside, I have to be careful to close the door or she'll sneak out also. And when I sit at my desk, she finds her special spot behind the computer monitor, which is the only place on my desk I'll allow her to lounge!
Every now and then I realize that she's taken advantage of my concentration and it's not until I try to move my computer mouse that I notice that she's lying across my mousepad, making it impossible for me to maneuver my mouse. I have to convince her that my mousepad is not her napping place!
But even that's not close enough for her at times. If I'm doing something at my desk that doesn't demand a lot of moving around, she curls up on my lap and stays as still as she can so that I don't make her leave. I admit that I enjoy her company and am flattered by her desire to be with me.
Recently it occurred to me that I should have the same desire to be as close to the Lord as I can. I should delight to be still in His presence just as much as my cat delights to sit quietly in mine. Too often I feel like I have to be busy accomplishing things for Him, and certainly Jesus said that when we minister to others in His Name, we are ministering to Him. I should never neglect my service to the Lord, but it's important that I also continually communicate and seek fellowship with Him.
The Psalmist spoke of panting for God just as a deer pants for streams of water. A deer that is busy running through the forest finds himself longing for the cool refreshing waters of a stream. Our busy lives leave us thirsty for refreshment also, but so often we don't realize that it's time with the Lord that we need. We seek refreshment elsewhere, perhaps in socializing with friends, or turning on the TV, or even reading an inspirational book. But if we neglect time with the Lord, those things only mask our thirst, rather than fully quenching it.
Just as Jesus spent time alone with His Heavenly Father in the midst of His busy schedule of ministering to others, and just as a deer realizes his need for water to keep going, so I know that I need to spend time with the Lord to be able to accomplish all that He Has purposed for me.
Copyright (c) 2004 Fern Horst
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