“Lord, Increase Our Thirst For You”

When working on a BLOG posting, it’s easy for me to go down a rabbit hole…one thought leads to another thought and things quickly get discombobulated. I can frequently find myself asking, “what’s the point of this BLOG?” Well that happened today . I read, “Make us so thirst for him that we will turn aside from all lesser thirsts.” (ref. Magnificat, 7-13-23) There is so much wrapped up in this one line; I was headed off in several directions. It’s really about motivation. What motivates me to follow the Lord, day after day…. year after year… resisting all lesser thirsts. 

While in LA a few years ago, I went to this incredible buffet with an amazing selection of seemingly endless foods. I liked everything I saw…. all my favorites… but where to go… I needed a wise strategy. I needed to “turn aside from all lesser thirsts”. So, I resisted the mashed potatoes, the salads, jello, hamburgers …which are all my favorites. I kept moving. I could feel the tension building… what if I passed out from hunger as I kept looking? Finally I arrived at the Alaskan King Crab, the endless displays of sushi, Lobster….Eureka! 

In following the Lord, we need to keep first things first. The thirst for the Lord must exceed all other thirsts. As I came to meet the Lord and experience his mercy and kindness, it was easier to put other motivations to the side. Yet, over the years other motivations and other thirst have continued to vie for my attention. When thinking clearly, I’m able to push them to the side. Unfortunately at times the lesser thirsts have pushed my thirst for the Lord to the side. Yet, thanks be to God, the Lord has been there to help me clear my head , thru repentance, and get back on track. 

So how do we keep our thirst for the Lord as our primary thirst that motivates us to sell all for the kingdom of God. Jesus  reminds us that “ whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst.” (John 4:14) 

The more we cling to the Lord, the more we experience his love and mercy; the more we experience his provision for us, the more we thirst for him. As we get to know the kindness of the Lord, the more we realize that he alone has the words of eternal life. All the other “thirsts” pale in comparison … cheap artificial imitators of the real treasure, the real pearl of great price. The Holy Spirit helps us to fall more and more in love with the Lord. The more we drink of the true waters of eternal life, the more we thirst for those life giving waters. 

So, let’s keep putting ourselves in position to taste the goodness of the Lord. We do this by staying close to him in prayer, by seeking to obey his words, by loving God and our neighbor. 

Jesus  reminds us in the parable of the talents, that “every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance.” (Mt. 25:29) As we experience the peace and joy of serving the Lord, we will thirst for more and our motivation will grow and we will receive more. “Make us so thirst for him that we will turn aside from all lesser thirsts.”