Great Plains Daily Devotional for 2/2/2020

Psalm 42: 1 & 2  

Just like a deer that craves streams of water, my whole being craves You, God. My whole being thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and see God’s face?

There is nothing worse than to be really thirsty. The desire then sticks in my mind and that is all I think about. Try as I might to ignore it, I can’t! I may attempt to take care of the thirst by drinking a Pepsi (my go-to during disasters) or a Sprite with cranberry (if I’m close to Sonic), yet neither of those ever help. Nothing is going to be OK until I find some cold water to take care of that thirst.

In life we often attempt to use substitutes to also take care of our thirst for what satisfies our soul. We can try whatever we want, yet nothing can take care of our soul except spiritual disciplines, corporate worship, and a rich, growing relationship with Jesus. Life likes to distract us, to feed our minds with things that hinders our peace and contented souls.

Thomas Kelly writes: “Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a Holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return” (from “A Testament of Devotion”) Aren't those words powerful and refreshing, like a cold drink of water? Whatever comes before us, whatever distracts us -- is not powerful enough to take the thirst from our amazing inner sanctuary of the soul!

I find personally that when I am doing soul work (which is daily), I don’t have to ask “when will I come and see God’s face? (v.2b)” When the thirst of my soul is satisfied with the Living Water, I see God everywhere! That is why my whole being thirsts for the living God, because I want to see Him.

--  Rev. Hollie Tapley,
Disaster Response Coordinator
htapley@greatplainsumc.org

Prayer for Reflection

Micah 6:1-8
Psalm 15
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Matthew 5:1-12