Pastor Bsett's E-Devotion

Jesus said, "I am thirsty ."  (John 19:28b NIV)

As I am sitting here today, pondering over various things in life and ministry, these words of Jesus just penetrated my soul - I am thirsty.  These words caused me to reflect and direct my attentions and desires appropriately.   This is the presence of the LORD in my life.  We understand this is the fifth word of the Christ on the cross of Calvary.  In His anguish and despair, He cried out these words.  Physically, He probably was thirsty.  But this text suggests that His cry was to fulfill prophesy.  Psalm 42:1-2 and Psalm 63:1 appropriately explain to us what exactly Jesus was thirsty for. 

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 NIV

O God, you are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you,

my body longs for you,

in a dry and weary land

where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1 NIV

This is the prophesy Jesus was fulfilling.  As I reflect, Jesus is on the cross, already abandoned by the Father for our sake.  Alone with no where to go.  Yet in this condition, Jesus reminds me that the what was important in His life is the presence of the Father and completing His work.  Wouldn't you suggest that Jesus was in bad shape at this time.  Alone, in physical pain, about to die.  Yet Jesus was thirsty for God - for His Father's presence.  Maybe in our condition, with all the stuff we are going through right now, this is what we should be focusing on.  He had previously said that if anyone was thirsty, he should come to Him and drink (John 7:37) and yet we see Him backing up what He said, reminding us that even Jesus was thirsty for God's presence.

Today, I am thirsty for God.  I want more of God.  I love being in the presence of God.  This is what should be important to us.  Are you thirsty?

Heavenly Father, as the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you!  We love you today Father and we praise you!  We thank you for another day and as we thirst more and more for you, we ask for you to manifest your presence strong in our lives today, as we seek to share the light of Christ with someone who needs to know you!  We bless you and thank you, in Jesus name, Amen.