“If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink!”
Ps. 7:37

It is God who causes us to thirst. He does this for a very specific reason, which is made clear in this scripture: so we will come to him!

We are not given this thirst to be satisfied by the things of the world, but by the things that only Jesus can give. Hence: “come to me!” Yet how many times do we experience this thirst, spend a moment in prayer, and quickly decide to pursue something else that offers a more immediate gratification? After all, quenching the thirst is what’s important, right?

Our culture has much to offer when it comes to satisfying our thirst. We have the biggest and best mall shopping, the widest selections of fast food or fine dining, and an endless array of the latest and greatest in entertainment. Oh, and not to be forgotten: the fastest cars, the most elaborate home furnishings, and the grandest gadget assortment known to man.

We have at our fingertips a sea of seductive substitutes for the real thing. The television beckons us into a vegetative state of satisfaction, and the only “come to me” requirement is clicking the buttons on the remote. Our favorite junk food calls our name much more loudly than the still, small voice that created the thirst. A friend’s invitation to grab a bite of lunch is more attractive to us than God’s invitation to His divine banquet table.

“I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy this world, you can’t be a friend of God.” James 4:4b

How very deceived we are. Such carnal thirst-quenching doesn’t quench at all. God created us body, soul, and spirit. It is impossible to fill the spirit and soul with things that satisfy only the body. But how we try!

“If you are thirsty, come to me!” The Bible tells us that Jesus stood and shouted those words to the crowd. A look at the original word for “shouted” reveals his passion for them (and us). It means “to scream”, “to call aloud” (to entreat, shriek, exclaim). It is the same word used to describe his last cry before giving up his spirit on the cross. Jesus was anything but casual regarding what we should do with our thirst!

“My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk with me.’
And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8

Father in heaven, hear our cries for help as we seek to ignore the multitude of distractions and the unrelenting voices all around us. Lord, how we desire to come and talk with you. Help us overcome! Our souls are parched, begging for a glimpse of your face. We are as desperate for your manifest presence as we are for our next breath. Make us able to resist. Strengthen our resolve. Clear the way for us, Merciful Father. We are thirsty, Lord, and we are coming to you!