Pant After God

By Fatoki Ifeoluwa

Devotional Reading: As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. Psalm 42:1 NKJV

There is a story of a young man who approached Socrates in quest for wisdom. Socrates led him down into a sea and dipped him in water for 30 seconds, after which he asked what he wanted. In reply, the man said “wisdom”. Socrates repeated this process until the man’s response changed from wisdom to air. Socrates then said to the young man that he would find wisdom when he wanted it as much as he wanted air.

Many believers desire to be more intimate with God, but are not ready to pursue it with determination, diligence and discipline. Growth, in any area of human life, does not come by accident or mere wishful thinking. Rather, growth is only a result of doing the right things. In Psalm 42, the Psalmist likens his quest for God, like the deer’s pant for water.

Why does the deer pant for the water brooks, and how? The deer pants for the water brooks because it knows that its survival depends on it. The brook serves as a cooling system which refreshes the deer and helps it to escape predators. Panting is more than desire, it denotes a critical need. While life in itself teaches us of the need for God, many believers rarely pant after God.

Beloved, just as the deer recognizes its need for water and pursues it appropriately, so must we recognize our need for God and pursue Him with all our lives. We must always put the words of Jesus before us when He said, apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5b).

Prayer and Confession
Father, I receive the grace to seek You with all that I am in Jesus Name.

Further Reading: Psalm 42