“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water” ( Psalm 63:1)
Many here would like a deeper relationship with God. Achieving that often starts with getting involved in God’s work.
Moses is one person who had such a deep relationship that at the end of his life it was written: “There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face” ( Deuteronomy 34:10). For Moses to get to that level of intimacy it meant he had to get his feet in the mud. When he came off Mount Sinai, with “two tablets of the covenant law in his hands” his face was radiant after a holy encounter. “Moses remained there on the mountain with the LORD forty days and forty nights. In all that time he ate no bread and drank no water. And the LORD wrote the terms of the covenant—the Ten Commandments—on the stone tablets” ( Exodus 34:28). But what had driven Moses to that stage. It is because he had a task on his hands that the only way he could get it accomplished was to spend as much time with God.
The Apostle Paul once shared a unique experience, where he “was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell” ( 2 Cor 12:4). After his conversion Paul was ever restless on the move to share the Gospel. The more he gave himself to God’s work the more God revealed himself to him.
Just before he was crucified, Jesus went out with the three most trusted disciples, “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” ( Mathew 26: 39). Of course his prayer came out of a need - Jesus was just about to face crucifixion.
Do you desire to experience more of God! You need to get involved. Like Moses or Paul you will find the experience will drive you often to your knees and with time you will get to know more of the awesome nature of God.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, help us through these challenges common to those serving you, to draw us closer to you, and know more of you, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
Related upcoming events
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27/04/2024 - 28/04/2024 All day“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” (Psalm 42:1).
In the wildlife, a common feature is predatory animals chasing after less ferocious ones, which on a bad day become good dinner. Through the savannah plains of Africa the antelope tends to suffer that fate. After a long chase from a mighty lion, cheetah or leopard; antelopes that survive tend to retreat to a fresh water spot. There they gladly refresh their quench with streams of water.
King David, must have been more familiar with deer, as there are more common in the Northern Hemisphere. For us in the tropics we can substitute the deer with our antelope, commonly chased by predators. After a long chase, of course all pant for pints of water.
The significance of this metaphor is that whenever we encounter any situation that puts us on a chase, where do we run to! Habakuk 3:19 says, “The Lord God give my strength. He helps me run fast like deer. He leads me safely on the mountains” (Habakuk 3:19).
Two things of note here. The Lord can make us run as fast as the fastest antelope being chased by a predator to a well of safety. And of course, as we run, we have that the well of God to end up to and refresh ourselves! This is why David wrote, “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” (Psalm 42:11).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today like the antelopes of the wildlife I run to you, to that well of life, which refreshes my soul, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
