Thirsty?

I really enjoy running and I’m sad to say that haven’t taken time this summer to go on many runs. This past Monday I had a little time in the afternoon, though, so I thought I could go on an easy run…or jog…or whatever I could survive, really. It was the heat of the afternoon so I headed out the door with my sunscreen on and a cold sports drink in hand. About 20 minutes into my run I had only taken a couple of sips of my already-hot drink and the incessant sloshing of the bottle as a trotted down the road was really getting on my nerves. So, being the “intermediate” runner that I am (I read Runner’s World…that automatically makes me a non-amateur, right?), I decided to ditch the drink and finish my run sans-hydration. Not. so. bright.

Again…this is not the first run of my life, so I decide to take a new route to shake things up a bit. As it turns out, the path I had chosen was a bit longer than I had expected. An hour and fifteen minutes into what had now become a walk-jog excursion I am wishing I had some water…an ice cube…anything. I had never felt so thirsty in my life and I was staring at another 30 minutes before getting back home.

I was looking for a water hose, or water spout on a building anywhere I could. I found myself walking around an unoccupied building or two (or four, but who’s counting) just praying there would be a water source I could tap into. Nothing.
I was praying for God to PLEASE give me some water…it was going to be a painful, dehydrated, final 30 minutes if I didn’t find some water soon.

And then…off in the distance…I saw it. Water sprinklers. They seemed so far away and my energy was shot, but I was going to do everything I could to make it to that water. I started jogging toward the sprinklers, clumsily making my way down a steep hill and onto the open field with the water sprinklers from heaven. This moment was beautiful. My whole body was thirsty. The mist from the sprinklers cooled me off and the little bit of water I gathered in my hands to drink seemed more than satisfying. I felt refreshed and ready to go the rest of the distance.

As I headed home, I couldn’t believe how thirsty I had been (and still was). I was so thankful that God had given me that refreshment. I could think clearly again and this is what He brought to my mind:

1 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 63:1-8 is one of my favorite passages and God used verse one (and my run) to open my eyes in a very new way this week. I say the words of this verse so often, but have I ever really know what it’s like to truly THIRST for God? Have I ever been so thirsty for His Word, for time spent with Him that I can think of nothing else? I didn’t even care if I was breaking some rule by being out there with those sprinklers that day because what mattered most was quenching my thirst. What matters most to me on every other day of the week? What am I trying to satisfy my thirst with?

I want to truly seek Him and be thirsty for time with Him every day. We know from His word that when we seek him with all our hearts, we will find him (Jere. 29:13).

How thirsty are YOU?