A couple weeks ago my family and I went on vacation to Florida. I was telling a friend of mine our plan and his response was, “In July?” Yes, in July.
It was hot.
One day we went on a long bike ride. I’ve got two boys, ages 6 and 3, that we pulled along in a trailer where they could sit and pretend to pedal. The first three-quarters of the ride was tough, but I managed. Then we hit the final small incline that took us home. I thought I could make it, but had to stop because I needed something. It’s called water. My body was screaming out for me to get some or I wouldn’t make it. I remember my heart racing, my breathing was heavy, and my mouth was bone dry.
In Psalm 63:1, David finds himself in the desert where he says, “You, God, are my God…I thirst for you.” I’m guessing David was familiar with the kind of thirst I experienced on that bike ride. In fact, he probably thirsted for water much more than me, yet, he recognized that his greater thirst was for God. In that moment he cried out for him and expected an answer.
There’s a theological argument for the existence of God called the ontological argument that was first proposed by St. Anselm of Canterbury. I’m not going to pretend I completely understand it because it’s a bit hard to grasp, but basically it says that because we can conceive of God, he must be real. That’s an over-simplification, of course, because we all can conceive of a lot of things that aren’t real. It’s more about our deep longings and desires.
When I was on that bike ride, I knew I needed something and understood that to be water. The physical need wouldn’t be there if there wasn’t something that existed that could meet the need. Similarly, we all have this longing for something more; purpose, meaning, and love. Not only that, but a perfect relationship with a God that fully satisfies our every need. Often people go looking for the answer in created things, but it never fully quenches our thirst.
Years ago, Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time (that’s high praise from this Packer fan), did an interview where he talked about how, even with three Super Bowl rings (at the time), he still didn’t feel satisfied. “There’s gotta be something more,” he said. He ended up with an incredible seven Super Bowl wins and I’m guessing those last four didn’t all of a sudden start making him feel whole. There was still something missing.
In John 4, Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman at a well. He tells her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again…” (John 4:13)
No matter what it is we “thirst” for in this world, it never seems to fully satisfy us. We always desire something more to quench our soul’s deep thirst. David knew where he would find what he needed most.
The good news is the fact that we all have this desire and thirst for something deeper to satisfy us, St. Anselm would say, is proof that something…or someone…truly exists to meet the deepest longing of our souls. And Jesus promises, “…whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” (John 4:14)
Questions for reflection:
- Have you ever felt spiritually dry or distant from God? What was that experience like? What helped you feel God’s presence in those times?
- What are some created things you’ve relied on in the past to quench your spiritual thirst? Why did those things fail? How does Jesus provide a better option?
- How do you recognize when your soul is thirsty for God? What practices help you quench this thirst?