Thirsty. Parched. An image of a movie comes to mind when I hear these words.  You know the one. A man joined the “foreign legion” and was crossing the Sahara Desert. Yep, you guessed it, The rest of his platoon was destroyed in an attack. He is the only one left and he needs to get back to safety. While crossing the desert, the hot sun bears down on him.  The dry wind blows. All of his water is gone. His canteen is empty. His lips are cracked. His tongue hurts it is so dry. Swallowing is hard because there is no moisture in his mouth. His sweat drops are the only “water” around.  There is no shade. Nothing in front of him but miles and miles of sand. No place to get out of the elements. No place to take refuge. No place to get water to quench that deep thirst. No place to replenish the source of life.

Have you been there? No, not on the Sahara Desert, but at a place in your life that you were devasted? You felt like there was no place for help, no refuge, nothing to quench the pain that you were feeling? I have.  Actually, very recently. The mental punch I took caused my body to physically react. I actually felt “kicked in the gut”.  The harsh words, caused tears, truthfully sobs. I could not see a way out of the situation. I could not find comfort. I just wanted to sit in a dark house and cry. Nothing compares to that type of pain.  Maybe you too have experienced something like that. Have you been through a divorce? Have you been diagnosed with cancer? Have you lost a spouse, child or parent to death? Have you been fired for something you did not do? Have you been pregnant to learn that your child will have a permanent birth defect? Or worse, might not live? These scenarios cause us to become parched.  We need “living water” desperately. We need to find an oasis that will give us refuge and bring us back to life.

Psalms 63:1, “You God, are my God, earnestly I seek you: I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is not water.”These words are written by David during a period of his life that he had been crushed by life circumstances.  If you have time, go back and read 2 Samuel 13-15.  These chapters are the background for Psalms 63. This is a “snip it” of what happened. All though this is a brief summary, you need to see where David was when he wrote that he was “in a dry and parched land”. David’s son, Amnon was “in love” with his sister, Tamar. (Let’s just say it for what it was, “in lust”.) Amnon tricked Tamar into his bedroom and raped her. David did nothing to Amnon for this horrible crime against Tamar. Absalom, David’s other son, was furious that there were no consequences for what had been done to his sister.  For two years, Absalom fumed. For two years, he plotted against Amnon.  Finally, Absalom had enough, and he took revenge. He murdered Amnon.

Can you imagine where David was mentally and spiritually in his life at this point? If that was not enough “family trouble”, Absalom fled to his grandfather’s homeland.  He stayed away from David.  At this point, David had lost two sons from the one sin Amnon committed. Finally, David sent for Absalom. There was no resolution with Absalom though. David had nothing to do with him. Absalom’s anger grew, and he started a plot to take over the kingdom. He started “wooing” those in David’s kingdom trying to show that he would be a better king…. if they would just follow him. And just like that, David lost control of  his kingdom. Many followed Absalom. A coup was set in place to remove David from the throne. King David fled to the wilderness of Judah, a desert.

Let’s take a minute and add up all David had lost to this point…just in this part of his life, not all he lost in the previous times: (1) Tamar had been raped by her brother, Amnon, (2) Absalom murdered Amnon, (3) Abasalom fled to another city, (4) upon Absalom’s return to David’s kingdom, David banished him from his sight, (5) David was in a battle for his kingdom against his own son, Absalom , (6) David took those in his household and fled to Judah. He was in exile. Do you see the pain and torment David was going through? If he was like me, the “what if” scenarios were running through his mind.  Tormenting him. Causing pain and anxiety.  2 Samuel 15:30. “David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered, and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill.” David’s soul was parched. He was thirsting for help. He needed a drop.  Just a drop of living water. He needed to drink in the source of his life. Back to Psalms 63. “I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name, I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.”

 David knew where his source of life was.  He knew how to satisfy his thirst. He turned  to worshipping God in his pain. I get this. On April 22, 2004 I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Almost a year long process of doctor appointments, radiation, chemo and surgery followed. My oncology doctor lived two hours away from me.  (Sometime I’ll tell you my God story of my healing.) For 28 straight days, I drove a 4 hour round trip to Lubbock. I dropped my daughter off at school each morning and headed to Lubbock. I went in for my radiation treatment, stopped and ate lunch then headed back to Midland to get her from school. There was no one in the car but me and God. It was my time to pour out my heart to Him. To weep before Him. To praise Him for all He had done for me. To beg Him to strengthen my family during this time. I worshipped. I talked to Him and told Him my deepest fears and concerns.  I sang praises to Him, knowing He was still on the throne and cared deeply for me and my family. My soul was strengthened.  I did not know what the future held, but I knew who held my future.  I did not know what would happen to my family, but I knew my God did.

Just like David, during one of my most desperate times, I turned to my source of life. The Living Water we are all offered. This Living Water sustained me. It quenched my thirst. It restored my parched, dying spirit to life again. Jesus says in John 6:35 “…whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” Are you parched? Are you dried up inside? Are you seeking an oasis filled with refreshment? Drink deep from The Living Water. Quench your thirst in Him. His living water sustains life. Drink Up! Drink deep! Thirst no more.

Blessings – Cherie