Thirst

Greetings All,

Last week I attended a conference at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in honor of the retiring professor and theologian David Wells. It was a feast for the soul and a banquet for the mind. Gospel truth tends to be that way! It enlightens and informs the mind, inspires the heart and inflames the soul. My being away at that conference explains why no thought was sent out last week.

In reference to this weeks 'thought' all I know is that it comes from a man named Benjamin A. Sawatsky. It was on a solitary piece of paper stuffed away in one of my files without any publication info.
It's a morning prayer, but its not one that asks God to satisfy our longings. It actually asks to be made thirsty instead of having our thirst quenched, or to be made hungry instead of having our hunger satisfied.

It is reminiscent of one of my other favorite prayers which I will also include -- the prayer A.W. Tozer used to end the first chapter of his book "The Pursuit of God."

Therefore I would ask that you not simply read it, but as is the case with any prayer, slow down, focus your heart and thoughts, go before our Triune God in a prayerful spirit, and pray these words as your own. Maybe you could use them to begin your day tomorrow. Enjoy.

"Faithful Father, Sovereign Shepherd, Compassionate Counselor, Triune God. Create in me a heart-hunger that only you can satisfy. Stir in me a soul-thirst that only you can quench. Yesterday you satisfied my hunger, but that was yesterday. Yesterday you quenched my thirst, but that was yesterday. As I begin my communion with you this morning, grant me the gifts of a fresh heart-hunger and a renewed soul-thirst. Open my eyes to see your beauty. Unstop my ears to hear your voice. Shed light on my mind to understand your Word, and touch my will to obey you with joy. Amen."

And by A. W. Tozer:

"O God, I have tasted of Your goodness and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire.
O God, the Triune God, I want to want You; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Your glory, I pray Thee, so I may know You indeed.

Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.' * Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus name, Amen."
(* Song of Solomon 2:13)

I used to pray for all longings to be filled. Now I've come to realize that the longing itself is a gift of great worth. May our thirst be increased! In His Service, Pastor Jeff

Dr. Jeffrey F. Evans