The last two Sunday mornings I have mentioned that our deepest innermost needs can only be satisfied by a loving relationship with God. This is so because we are created in his image, and therefore are like God. We are not gods, but like God. You might remember that I quoted the first verse of Psalm 42 a couple of weeks ago. We have just read it again. Allow me to me remind you of the words once more. "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." And the second verse: "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God." (KJV) Here we see a picture of a deer with an unquenchable thirst for water. In the same manner, the psalmist had a deep longing, an unquenchable desire in his inner most being. What does he need? Better said, who does he need? He needs God. His entire being, his total existence cries out for renewal, and fellowship with the living Creator. For fellowship with him would mean renewed strength, joy and peace.

It's not known who wrote this psalm, but that really doesn't matter. It's the content of the psalm that is of importance to us. We may not know his name, but we do know the author's deep feelings. Just from these words, we know his innermost needs.

We may safely assume that the author is an exile in a strange land, who longs for his homeland. He is extremely homesick for the familiar surrounding of the neighborhood in which he grew up."My heart breaks when I remember the past, when I went with the crowds to the house of God where I lead them as they walked along, a happy crowd, singing and praising God" (vs 4). This person was obviously a leader in the church who had led his friends and neighbors into God's house for worship. This was extremely important to him. And now. . .O how he longs for the house of God again, where he had experienced sweet communion with His Lord, and fellowship with his fellow worshipers. To add insult to injury, his captors mock him. He longs so much for his homeland, his place of worship, and all they can jeeringly say, "Where is you God?" (Vs 3) Can't you just hear them? "All this singing and worshiping, where did it get you? Where is your God now? He could not save you from us. Why do you even bother? Are you sure God even exists?"

The Psalmist feels so lonely; so helpless. And his innermost longings increase in intensity. Then he paints for us an astonishing picture. A frightened deer which has just escaped the pursuit of the hunter, its sides are heaving as it gasps for air. Wide eyed it stands over a brook of cool water, almost afraid to reach down to drink. Yet it needs this refreshing water, for without it the deer will surely die. Its deepest innermost longing is to quench its thirst and live.

"As the deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you O God" (vs 1). O how this believer needs God. He just longs for God. All around him are the idols of foreign gods and deities, which are being worshiped in this foreign land. Worthless idols. He longs for a place to worship God again, with his friends and neighbors, for only The Lord God is the author and sustainer of all life. Only God will be able to meet his needs. . . quench his thirst.

Can you identify with the author of this psalm? What do you have in common? One thing is sure. He is in a foreign land, and is it not the same for all believers. Another unknown author whom we have already met, speaks of "another country; a heavenly home." We too are pilgrims and strangers on this earth. Or as Peter has it in the first verse of his first letter, "God's chosen people who live as refugees. . ." Now the question is, do we share the psalmist's deepest innermost longing? Do you have the same intense desire to have fellowship with God? Do we allow unbelief to put our circumstance between us and God, or do we let faith put God between us and our circumstances. How important is your relationship with God? It is a deep desire to have him in your life, to be part of all that you do?

Perhaps you are not convinced that God is mindful of your innermost longing and desires. Perhaps you feel that God has ignored you. But we should always remember; God never allows hardships in our lives without reason. Sometimes the Lord tests us to sharpen our deepest sense of need.

For the Psalmist there was no doubt. He felt the nearness of God, even in his deepest trial. "Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled?" he asks. Then he answers this with words of resolve. "I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my savior and my God." He thirsted for God as would a thirsty, panting deer. He knew that God could, and would satisfy his thirst, just as the prophet Isaiah who once wrote, "Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters. . ." ( Isa 55:1a).

Did you notice something special about that sentence? It comes in the form of an invitation, doesn't it. Come everyone. You see, God is never indifferent. He is able to satisfy our thirst; all the deep yearnings of our spirit, and the deepest desires of our faith. Listen to yet another invitation. "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and drink" (John 7:37b NIV). He said this on the occasion of the Feast of the Tabernacles, on of the special days observed by the Jewish people in remembrance of their ancestral journey to the promised land. For an entire week they would live in huts and tents as a physical reminder of the temporary shelters in which their ancestors lived in the desert. During each day of the feast the priests would draw water from a pool named Siloam with golden vessels. They would take this water to the Temple and publically offer it as a libation, or an offering to God, as a reminder of the water he supplied for their ancestors as they wandered in the wilderness. Each day they would pour out the water, and each day the people would shout, "With joy do we draw water from the wells of salvation."

I can just imagine Jesus being part of this ceremony. Perhaps he noticed something quite disturbing. Perhaps he noticed that these people were only half-heartedly going through the meaningful ceremony, and only going through the motions; observing a custom. Were they really convinced of their innermost need? Remember, the gospels tell us elsewhere, on another occasion that Jesus "knew their thoughts" (See Matt 12:25). And I can see him shaking his head in dismay. What good is pouring out this water going to do if their hearts aren't in it. Not only that, it is only a symbol...a symbol of salvation's peace and satisfaction. Whoever wants this peace, whoever is convinced he or she needs it desperately, let them come to Son of God, who can supply this peace beyond measure. "Whoever is thirsty should come to ME and drink." (GNB)

Wow! What a claim to make, right? But he is the Son of God, and he can rightly make such a claim. "Believe in me and your thirst will be quenched. . .satisfied." His language is so universal. No one needs to be left out. If anyone. . .whoever is thirsty. There are no prerequisites, no examinations, just an invitation that says "come and drink!" This isn't the only time Jesus said this. Remember the woman at the well? "Everyone who drinks this water (from this well) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again" (John 14:13-14a). Jesus will not fail. He will satisfy.

Jesus tells us something else. "Whoever believes in me. . .streams of life giving water will pour out from his heart" (vs 38). This means that those who have come to be blessed, will be a blessing to others. John explains it this way. "Jesus said this about the Spirit, those who believed in him were going to receive" (vs 39). We no longer experience the physical presence of Jesus, but he is with us through the Holy Spirit who has been poured out, and now dwells in the hearts of believers, constantly supplying our needs, and making us aware of his grace. This is the grace we want to share. These are the streams of life giving waters that flow from our hearts.

"As the deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you O God. I thirst for you, the living God." So writes the Psalmist. "Whoever is thirsty should come to me and drink." So said Jesus. Do you long for closer fellowship with God? Do you want the satisfaction that only God can give in supplying all your needs, even your innermost needs? Then allow me to extend an invitation to come to him. Not only once, but again and again, Remember Jesus said, "If anyone comes". . .anyone. Surely that must include you and me. His invitation is clear. The psalmist accepted God's invitation even when he was in dire straits. "I will put my hope in God," he writes. "And once again I will praise him, my God and my savior."

So come.

Henry Burton once wrote these words:

Come where the fountain flows, river of life;
Healing all (your) woes, doubting and strife.
Millions have been supplied,
No one was e'er denied
Come to the crimson tide; come sinner come.

Horatius Bonar wrote words that form a marvelous response to the invitation.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold I freely give
The living water; thirsty one
Stop down, and drink and live."

I came to Jesus and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
An now in him I live. (Ibid)

Can we be sure? Yes, for we have the assurance from the Son of God himself, when he said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matt 5:6 KJV). Will you accept his invitation today? AMEN