Many years ago, my brother and I went on a hiking expedition in the Cleveland National Forest in Southern California. Unfortunately, we were ill-equipped for the day. What began as a cool, refreshing, spring-like morning quickly developed into a hot, parching, dead-of-summer day. Soon I was overcome with the most overwhelming drive to quench my thirst that I have ever experienced. My mind was shouting “ration, ration…” but my tongue’s screams for fluids won. So it wasn’t long before my water bottle was empty. And my oranges were gone. If it hadn’t been for a compassionate, sharing brother and the timely appearance of a pick-up truck….
What do you do when you are parched with thirst and the well runs dry? And there is no brother to give you his water? And there is no truck to give you a lift up the mountain? What do you do?
What do you do when your spiritual tank runs dry and you need more “water” for ministry? What do you do when circumstances derail you spiritually and yet people still expect a certain measure of “spirituality” from you?
In a Psalm based on one of the dark moments of his life, David tells us what to do when the well runs dry. Second Samuel 15:1-16:23 recounts the attempt of his son Absalom to usurp the throne from David, who fled from Jerusalem to preserve his life. And not only was David afraid for his physical life, he was perplexed about his spiritual life.
In his hasty retreat, David was confronted by a Benjamite follower of Saul named Shimei who continually threw stones and dust and cursed David and his servants. “Let me cut off his head,” suggested David’s servant Abishai. “No,” responded David, “If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” (16:10).
David, like Job, was clueless as to why these events were happening, and was open to the suggestion that perhaps they were coming from the hand of God for some unknown reason. And his desire was to submit himself to God’s work, regardless of the personal cost to him.
That’s the attitude that led him to the words in Psalm 63. Words that affirm his relationship with God (“you are my God”). Words that affirm his commitment to withhold nothing from God (“I will seek you earnestly”). Words that affirm his memory of God’s past faithfulness (“I have seen You…,” v. 2). Words that affirm the value of praising God (“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise you,” v. 3). Words that affirm there is nothing better to do than trust God (“my soul clings to You,” v. 8).
Are you in a barren land? Hear this:
Should the sense of remoteness persist in spite of prayer and what you believe is faith, look to your inner life for evidences of wrong attitudes, evil thoughts, or dispositional flaws. These are unlike God and create a…gulf between you and him. Put away the evil from you, believe, and the sense of nearness will be restored. God was never away in the first place. [Tozer, Born After Midnight.]
When all proves to be empty vanity, the soul is ready for refreshment from God. When you are spiritual thirst is compelling you to drink, do not drink from the empty and polluted cisterns of worldly pleasures and quests. Quench your desires in the rich well-spring of God and His comforting Word.
Words of Grace 