By Rev Victor Neill
‘As the hart (deer) panteth (longs) after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, the living God’ Ps 42 v 1&2
The Psalmist paints the picture of a thirsty deer longing for and searching earnestly for a stream to quench its thirst and to keep it alive. The Psalmist equates this earnest search and longing for water by the deer, with his soul thirst for God ‘My soul thirsteth for God, the living God’ (v2).
The Psalmist knew that the deep inner thirst that he experienced could not be quenched by any of the physical or material things of life. He rightly realised his deep inner thirst was spiritual and therefore could only be satisfied by His Creator and Redeemer. Our Lord Jesus whilst here on earth knew that the whole of humanity experienced that same soul thirst that the Psalmist expressed, hence His astounding invitation ‘if any man (any person) thirst let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly (innermost being) shall flow rivers of living water’ (John 7 v 37&38). But this He spake of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive’
Our Lord Jesus never made an idle promise, so when He said those who had a thirst that earthly things simply could not satisfy, should come to Him and ‘drink’ - believe, and they would experience ‘rivers of living water’. He will make good His promise to all who come to Him, first meeting the most fundamental need that every human being has - the need for forgiveness! And then there will flow from His Spirit rivers of ‘love, joy, peace’ and so much more!
A Christian song puts it well
‘There is a river that flows from God above, there is a fountain that’s filled with His great love, come to this water, there is a vast supply. There is a river that never shall run dry ‘
Has your soul thirst been quenched? If not believe and surrender - ‘let go and let Christ have His way in your life! When there is that surrender, He will then come to reside in our hearts and lives by His Holy Spirit ‘this He spake of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive’.