My Soul Thirsts For You

When the Psalmist sings, “My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land…Because Your loving kindness is better than life.”…

…I think of the woman at the well, the shame of five failed marriages, an outcast in her own village, soul parched and empty, going back to tell them about this amazing Savior she had met, transformed by his gentleness and grace, declaring that His kindness is better than life.

When God speaks through the weeping prophet Jeremiah, “Come home to me again, for I am merciful.”…

…I think of the Prodigal son, ashamed of his past, hopeless in his present and fearful of his future, sitting at the banquet table that was set for his return, overwhelmed by his father’s unreasonable mercy.

When Jesus says, “I knock on the door of your heart, and if you open it, I will come in and have a meal with you.”…

…I think about Zaccheaus, insecure, empty, shallow, crooked, betrayer of his own people, sliding down the lookout tree as fast as he could, generosity springing forth out of his bones, going home to have dinner with the God of undeserved gifts.

When Solomon writes, “Come now my love, my lovely one, come.”…

…I think of the woman, ashamed of her past, tears in her eyes, anointing the feet of the one who did not judge her.

And while the religious voyeurs are scoffing and condemning, hearts of stone, the son of man, looks deep in her eyes, and for the first time, there is a man who does not want to take something from her but wants to give her everlasting worth.

When the prophet Jeremiah declares, “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘because you are called an outcast.”…

…I think of 10 men, full of sores, untouchable, being touched by Emanuel, God with us, no longer exiled, future renewed, dignity restored. Strangely, only one comes back to thank him.

When I read in St. Matthew, “he healed every kind of disease and illness.”…

…I think of the woman, twelve years searching, bleeding from childbirth, finding no answers, fighting the crowd, ignoring the rebukes, stretching as far as she could to touch the remnant of her healer, and with one last chance, she feels his spirit flow through and her body is whole.

When we are taught to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”…

…I think of the same gentleness and grace, the same unreasonable mercy, those same undeserved gifts, the same everlasting worth and same healing power which is available to every broken, rebellious, wayward, ailing, greedy, lust filled, wronged and mistreated person today.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

When I think about who we have given our life to, the only thing I can say is, “Go out and love someone.”