As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God? Psalm 42:2-3
The psalmist sings his song of longing for God—a song that brings forth the image of thirsting for God, thirsting for the goodness that is the Lord.
Interestingly, earlier this evening I was watching a behavioral sciences video in which the narrator was speaking of the importance of building rapport in classroom situations where there are strong behavior issues. What was said rang true with me because in my work the management of behavior is often a defining characteristic of what I do daily. In the video the narrator said that to build rapport you must share the many good things—“share the goodness”—of your classroom, which you as a teacher can offer.
Really, what we all desire are the good things that life has to offer, and of course the wise know that all good things come from God. Moreover, aside from God what is there that truly satisfies the longing for goodness?
The image of the deer that longs for running water speaks to us also of the promise of living water. There have been plenty of times when I’ve felt like that deer—plenty of times that I have wanted to meet God on a level where my thirst can be quenched. There is an answer, and it doesn’t have to be a secret either. It has to do with where God meets us.
Have you ever heard that to be effective in ministry we have to meet people where they are? It’s true. To reach others with the message of the Good News we must be accepting of people where we find them and let God do whatever changing is necessary, if any. Likewise, to receive the goodness of God—the living water—we must present ourselves to God as we are.
Often the hitch that we encounter is in our wanting to be someone other than who we are. But wait—didn't God sent Jesus to die for us as we are? So why run away from who we are? Why hide behind false pretenses and fantasies? Know thyself.
It did me a lot of good, both spiritually and emotionally, to meet myself again, and I’ll do it as many times as needed. You don't need to say it in a mirror, but you do need to believe what you say.
I’m a 47 year old man, not a day younger or older than I am. I’m married to a beautiful woman who is herself God’s good gift to my life. I am the father of three beautiful children, and I have been blessed with the gift of being able to love them. I am special education schoolteacher, and in that my call in life is often to walk a slightly more difficult road; however, it is one that I accept with joy. I am a deacon. I am ordained to be a humble servant of others.
As I reach deeply within myself to find the goodness that has been shared with me in who I am, I find quenching waters that will carry me through this life to the next…and beyond. In knowing the goodness that God has placed within us we can share it with others, and thus we drink long from the stream that satisfies like no other, beyond imaginings, beyond mortal language, beyond knowledge.
Amen!
Posted by: C | April 30, 2007 at 11:03 PM
Along with meeting people where they are to be effective in ministry, and presenting ourselves to God the way we are in order to receive His goodness, I think we also have to be willing to help others while knowing that we are far from perfection, don't we. We are called to share what we have been given and what He has allowed us to know, even if we may still be struggling with certain issues, or far away from any level of heroic virtue in our own lives. I think sometimes people hold themselves back from helping others for this reason.
Posted by: Gabrielle | May 05, 2007 at 09:17 PM