Let’s be honest, we all thirst physically and spiritually. Our bodies struggle to survive after just a few days without water, even quicker under certain conditions. A lack of an adequate amount of liquids will make us physically uncomfortable, with growing intensity, until satisfied. This is an inescapable fact of life. In the same way that our bodies are designed to thirst for water, our spirit thirsts for that which only God provides: the purest quality of love (present, permanent, and eternal). We can try to quench our spiritual thirst with the “stuff” of this world, but only the Divine can truly satisfy.

This is so important for all of us to remember. When we lead others, we cannot lead from an empty vessel.

Through prayer, we can admit and express of our needs to our loving Creator. King David wrote one of my favorite prayers, Psalm 63, in which he reveals his “thirst” and “longing” for God. Verse 1 says, "God, you are my God, I eagerly seek you; I thirst for you, my body faints for you in a land that is dry, desolate and without water." At a time when David was running for his life in a literal hash desert, he expresses this deep desire for the “water” only God can give. Jesus offered this thirst-quenching “living water” to the woman at the well in John 4:10, and He offers it to us daily as well.

Today, I want to pray for us that if we are leaning on counterfeit nourishments for our soul satisfaction, that God would help us put them down. May we follow the example of the life of Jesus. Prayer gave him endurance, protection, guidance and so much more. He prayed regularly and at times all night (Luke 6:12). And when we don’t know what to pray, may we remember that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to intercede for us (Romans 8:26-27).

Through honest prayer we remain connected to the Source of our nourishment and lead out of an abundant and generous heart in love.

Ask God to increase your thirst for Him and then fill it.

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