Thursday, October 1, 2009

Don't be a camel.


"As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?" Psalm 42:1-2

I can feel my parched throat every time I read this passage, how dorky is that? I know this is suppose to be kind of a metaphor- we are the deer, while God is the water we desperately desire- but it still makes me thirsty.

I had read somewhere awhile back that American Christians are more like camels than deer. Hehehehe Wait, let me explain. Camels are designed to be able to go for MONTHS at a time without drinking, because they are able to store the liquid they need and consume less metabolically. Deer, on the other hand, must drink multiple times DAILY to sustain life. They have no reservoir to satisfy them. Now think about us. Do we on a daily basis, run to the stream of "living water" and satisfy our thirst..for all that He is, and that He desires us to be? Or do we get a fill once a week, or even more likely- once a month, and try to live on that- packing His words into our "camel hump" and pretending that we can live as well and as closely with God that way?

I just keep thinking about how much God designed us to WANT Him daily, He didn't build us with a reservoir. How funny would that passage read if it said "As the camel pants for water every month or so, so my soul pants for you"? Doesn't quite have the same poetic ring to it. With all the crazy things that have happened this last week, I find myself trying to be a camel. Too tired, anxious, busy, whatever- to make the time to meet with my God as much as I usually do, and I can feel the danger of that. I can see the crisis of self-sufficiency that wants to make me believe if I just plan better, work harder, and negotiate more it will be fine, rather than putting all my trust in the one who MADE the plan, WORKS for my good, and doesn't need to negotiate because He MADE the rules. I don't want to try and do it on my own, because...well, I am thirsty. :) I want to drink in all that God has for me and enjoy knowing Him like nobody else. I know that when I believe Him to be great, and I run to the "stream" of living water I feel truly satisfied.

So, drink deeply today and leave that stinky camel behind! Know that God is waiting for you to come meet with Him so He can satisfy your needs. Run fast- it really is so much better.
(I just had the most ridiculous urge to bound around, leaping and prancing like Bambi. Ummmm...yeah. I need some caffeine. Bahahahahaha!)

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." Psalm 42:11

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