The most dangerous place that a deer can be at is by the streams of water, like a river or a pond, especially in Africa. Their predators lie and wait for them to come to the water and drink and then they will pounce on them and kill them. But no matter how dangerous where the streams of water are, they know that they have to drink water, else they will not survive. There is a river in Kenya, called Mara River. This is where many animals, such as the African deer come to drink water. Predators are all over this river. The hungry lions are on the land and the crocodiles are in the water ready to eat them, yet the African deer never miss to come to the river to drink.
The Psalmist pictures his love towards the Lord as a deer longing for water. He is thirsty for the presence of God, and he is willing to risk it all to be closed with God. Our relationship with God is based on love. God longs for us to spend time with Him because He loves our presence. In the same manner, we should have the same feelings toward Him. It is true that God wants us to obey and serve Him, but He wants us to love Him first, because our love for Him will lead us to obey and serve Him. We obey and serve because we love Him.
The Psalmist thirsts for the living God. He wants to be closed and near with God. It is not something that he has to do just because He believes in God, but He thirsts for God because He has experienced God’s love in His life. One of the main reasons we spend time with God in our daily devotion, Bible fellowship, and church is to be closed to Him and feel His presence in our lives. When everything is doing well in our lives, we tend to forget God, but when we go through difficult situations, we run to Him as fast as we can. But God wants us to consistently long for Him.
If you are struggling to love God or maybe you do not know how to love God, the first thing that you have to do is to ask God to teach you to love Him. Then, ask Him to give you a thirst for His presence. As you start to enjoy His presence, wonderful things will happen in your life. You will start experiencing God in a very special way.
Write down the challenges that you are facing today and lift them up to God.
Let us ask God to give us a thirst for His presence
Father in Heaven, please teach me to love you. Give me a thirst for your presence. Please forgive me for not spending time with you, especially when I am too busy with school and work. Like the deer longing for water, may my soul also longs for you. Please change my heart and make me more like you. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.