Earnestly seeking God?

Psalm 63:1-8

"Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So have I looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night. For you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you, your right hand upholds me."

This psalm was in my scheduled reading for today. I love this psalm. I come back to it often! Sometimes it reflects where I am, and sometimes it reflects where I want to be, and sometimes it reflects where I need to be. I love praying through scriptures and this is such a wonderful psalm to pray through.

I once heard a story, I'm not sure if it's actually true or not, but it is a story about a man teaching a younger man about how much we should desire God and His Word. The story goes like this: An older man who had been walking intimately with God for most of his long life took his young protege to the local river. The young man had indicated that he wanted to know how much he should yearn for God. The man took this young man to the river and suddenly took him by the back of the head and dunked his head and face into the lake. He held him there for what seemed like forever to the young man, his arms were flailing, he was trying to get the older man's hand off his head.. finally the old man released the young man and naturally the young man was gasping for each beautiful breath of fresh air that he could get. The young man said, "WHAT were you doing?" and the old man replied, "the way you gasped for each breath when I released you is the way we must gasp for the God and His Word."

thus, my prayer:

Lord, I need your help to earnestly seek you. Often my soul doesn't thirst for you. I drink from empty cisterns instead. Oh Lord, give me a thirst for you alone. Do not let me be satisfied anywhere else. Help me to behold your power and your glory! Help me lord to believe and live out that your steadfast love is better than life! Help me to bless you as long as I live! Help me to cling to you. Thank you that your right hand upholds me! I want to be fully satisfied in you alone! Thank you Lord that you are my joy and my inheritance! Thank you that you have been my help! Help me to rest in the shadow of your wings and sing for joy!

and I love love love this song:

This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence
Living in me
This is my daily bread
This is my daily bread
Your very Word
Spoken to me
And I, I'm desperate for You
And I, I'm lost without You

© 1995 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing





You can hear a sample here:




http://media.vmg.com/VMD9380/VMD9380-S-96kbps-15.mp3