Daily Scripture Threshing for Thursday, August 29, 2024
Today’s Text: Psalm 42:1-11
Key Verse: Psalm 42:1 (ESV): "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God."
One of the stories told of the World War I is about a combined British, Australian, and New Zealand forces, pursuing the Turks as a part of their liberation of Palestine campaign. The pursuit was through a burning hot desert. They pursued the Turks so vehemently that they got so far ahead of the water trains of lagging camels. So, they ran out of water and began to experience all the realities of desert heat. When they were becoming dehydrated, they had one of two choices: to turn around and go back, and hopefully meet up with the water train before they all died in the desert; or keep pushing and moving forward until they get to the Wells of Shirea: of which, if they were able to seize the Wells of Shirea, they would have all the water that they would ever needed.
Well, they decided to keep moving forward, giving everything they had, fought this battle at the Wells of Shirea and seized the wells. They had lost hundreds of soldiers in the heat of the desert but finally had fresh drinking water. Among them were soldiers that were still in reasonably good condition, even though they were thirsty as anything imaginable. The commanders directed that those who are in the best condition ate to stand fast while those in the worst of condition immediately drink of the Wells. It took a total of four hours before the last person was able to go to the wells and drink. Despite all the thirst, heat, thirsty and dehydrated of the desert, some still had to wait four hours to drink of the water.
At this, one of the soldiers, a Christian, while waiting for a long time, called out to others, saying: “I believe that we all learned our first real Bible lesson on the march from Beersheba to the Shirea Wells. If such were our thirst for God, His righteousness, and His will in our lives, such consuming, all-embracing pre-occupying desire, how rich would all of us be in the fruit of the Spirit.” This is what the panting of the deer for the water images to us: a deep longing and yearning for God's presence in our lives. Our souls must thirst for God's love, guidance, and comfort. The Hebrew word for "pants" is to gasp or breathe heavily. It means intense longing for life, refreshment, and sustenance. Why not ask yourself this question: does my soul long after God in my inner being?!
Action Step: Seek God's presence and guidance.⁰ Grow in your desire for God as intense as a deer's thirst for water. Nurture a close, intimate relationship with God.
Quote for the Day: "God's always wants a genuine hunger for Him to grow from the depths of our souls. He wants us to always crave His ever refreshing presence." (Simon Olatunji #quotablequote)
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, as a deer pants for water, my soul longs for You. I thirst for Your presence, Your comfort, and Your guidance. In the dry and weary moments of my life, I yearn for Your refreshing touch. Please quench my spiritual thirst, Lord, and fill me with Your living water. Let my soul be satisfied in You, and let me find joy and strength in Your presence — in Jesus's most glorious name. Amen.
With all my love and prayers,
Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.
Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)
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