October 20
A Thirst
for God
"A deer longs for streams of water. God, I long for you in the same way."
Psalm 42:1 (NIrV)
Finn sat in his car outside the church, his hands gripping the steering wheel. The parking lot was half full, people trickling inside with warm smiles and easy laughter. He used to be one of them. Sundays had been his favorite day—waking up early, reading his Bible with a cup of coffee, singing worship songs that stirred something deep in his soul. He remembered the peace, the joy, the closeness of God.
But somewhere along the way, life got in the way. Work had become more demanding, the late nights left him too exhausted for Sunday mornings, and soon, church became an afterthought. His prayers became fewer and fewer until, one day, they stopped altogether.
Now, he felt empty. A gnawing hunger deep in his soul, an ache that no amount of distractions could fill. He had tried—busy schedules, Netflix marathons, scrolling through endless social media posts—but nothing satisfied. The joy he once had seemed like a distant memory.
He exhaled, rubbing his tired eyes. God, I don’t know how to get back to You. The thought startled him. When was the last time he had even spoken to God? It had been so long.
Something in him whispered, Just take one step.
He hesitated. He didn’t feel ready. Didn’t feel worthy. But as he sat there, watching the people walk inside, something stirred in his heart. A deer longs for water… He knew the verse well. His soul was thirsty. He could either stay stuck in the dryness, or he could move toward the only One who could satisfy.
Taking a deep breath, he reached for the door handle. One step. That was all.
As he walked into the church, the music was already playing. He found a seat in the back, his heart pounding. When the first notes of the worship song filled the room, something inside him cracked open. His eyes filled with tears. He didn’t have the perfect words to pray, but he didn’t need them.
He simply whispered, “God, I miss You.”
And in that moment, as the music swelled and the voices around him lifted in praise, Finn felt it—that first sip of living water quenching his dry and weary soul.
Prayer:
Father,
I long for You. My soul is thirsty, but I have tried to fill it with everything but You.
Forgive me for drifting away, for letting the busyness of life take Your place.
Like Finn, I want to take that first step back into Your presence. Draw me closer to You.
Refresh my spirit, Lord, and remind me that no matter how far I feel, You are never far from me.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
