Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cool and foggy this morning and even if I were meeting with the Living God from outside on the front porch, I wouldn’t be able to see any farther than a few feet into the fields. As they say in the South, “The fog is so thick you can cut it with a knife”. I won’t have much quality porch time until things warm up in Virginia, but I’ll have Quality Time with the Living God every day. That comes down to choice. I don’t spend Time with Him out of duty…I spend Time with Him because I NEED Him more than I need anyone or anything else in this Life. Psalm 42 says it best “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.” I thirst for Him. I hunger to be with Him. I need Him. I love Him. And I Serve Him because He’s the Center of my Life. Nothing else can satisfy my Soul and nothing else can bring me Joy the way He can. He’s my All. Isn’t that the way you feel about Him too?

It’s no surprise that many people can’t find their Way in their Faith and they have no idea what God’s Purpose is in their Life because they don’t hunger or thirst for Him. When we’re hungry in the human sense we don’t rest until we’re fed, and when we’re parched we’ll do anything to satisfy our thirst. Our animal instinct kicks in and survival occupies every thought. We have a built-in radar for our basic human needs and NONE of us go without unless circumstances force us there. Some have a weakness for a particular food or beverage and they’ll crave those things until they finally break down and satisfy the craving…because it occupies their thoughts until they do. Hungering and thirsting for the Living God can feel the same way (on steroids) but it’s a Choice whether or not we Nurture our Faith to the place where we NEED Him more than we need air. When we get to that place where our Soul hungers and thirsts for Him, we become consumed by the Living God and nothing else can satisfy the “craving” to spend Time in His Presence. When we’re feeling parched, we’ll crawl across the desert of Life to reach the Living Water and we’ll do anything to satisfy our Thirst. Hungering and thirsting for Him is a sure Sign that we “get it”. That’s when we realize that there is “no good thing apart from Him” and that our lives are meaningless without Him. That’s where we find our Purpose and that’s where He Directs us to Greatness. It’s a place of total Surrender that grows the most beautiful Relationship, and it is when we hunger and thirst for Him that He can use us in Miraculous Ways. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.”

Sadly, hungering and thirsting for the Living God is something that most people of Faith miss out on. They may love Him. They may honor Him most of the time. They may THINK they need Him. They may spend a little time with Him each day (most of the time), they make sure to be in church on Sunday mornings, and they pray. But they don’t hunger or thirst. They never seem to be Desperate for Him like the deer panting for water unless they need Him to do something or they want Him to fix a problem they have. Perhaps it’s because they’ve never been taken to the Spiritual Woodshed where He sets the Path of Life straight – or maybe they’ve never been to that desperate place where He’s ALL they have to cling to….no other human being…no subsistence…and no “hope” from the world’s perspective. Maybe they’ve never tapped into the Holy Spirit that dwells within the heart of a Believer and maybe the Spirit is quiet because of it. I don’t know the reason why most people aren’t hungering or thirsting for Him like a deer panting for water, but I DO know that’s the only Place to be and the only Way for a person of Faith to Live. “Our God is a consuming fire” and when we draw near to Him – HE WILL draw near to us and His Love will consume every part of us. That’s where Faith overflows and that’s where the most amazing Miracles happen in this Journey of Faith. It’s when we hunger and thirst for the Living God that He Knows He has our Full Attention and our Path will be set Straight for the Journey. If you wonder what your Purpose is and you’re confused about what God wants for your Life, then you need to dig in deeper to stir up your Hunger and Thirst for the Living God. The Living God doesn’t leave anybody out in the dark when they’re desperate for Him day in and day out whether they are “well fed or hungry”.

I spent some Quality Time with the Master this morning as He woke up the world and my hunger and thirst have been satisfied all over again. He’ll Consume my thoughts as I go about my day, and I’ll let His Spirit set my Path straight. I’m overjoyed to go “about my Father’s business” because He dwells within my heart and His Love satisfies me like nothing else. I pray that I bring pleasure to my God every step of the way because I hunger and thirst for Him. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.”

How about you?