A prayer for greater longing for Christ, written by Victoria Rihlano and read by Kelly

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God, Psalm 42 1.

I must be honest, there are many things I desire. On my short list, friendships that bring me joy, a family that operates in love and financial security.

This doesn't include my desire for a new pair of shoes, a home could meal for my mother, who lives ten hours away, nor my weekly need for chocolate filled dessert.

Many times, I am willing to go out of my way to attain these desires. Even a food craving will lead me to piling seven children in a car and doing a complete grocery chip just for one moment of satisfaction.

Yet, when I encounter Psalm 42 1, I ask myself, do I long for Jesus in the same way? Am I willing to pause everything just for him?

Do I think of him in the morning or talk to him throughout my day? When I ask myself these questions, I'm faced with my own spiritual deficit.

Though longing for Jesus should always be my heart cry, I often miss the mark.

Trapped between my own fleshly desires and the need to be in control, there are many moments Jesus becomes an afterthought, rather than my first love.

The word longing in Psalm 42 1 goes beyond a momentary one.

The original meaning of the word used by the Psalmist is to cry out. In other words, the one who longs cries out for what they need and is desperate for the object of their affection.

When the Psalmist says, as the deer longs for the streams of water, this imagery is not a fleeting desire of an animal.

Instead, the Psalmist is keenly aware that the deer cannot sustain herself without water.

Having water once a week or when times get tough is not enough. For deer, water is needed several times throughout the day.

So much so that mature deer make their homes close to small water sources, so that they can always be in close proximity of this basic need.

This verse reminds us that the Lord is the source of our strength, rejuvenation and spiritual nourishment.

He has no desire for us to be thirsty Christians in need of refreshing.

He does not want us to only seek him when we are feeling spiritually depleted.

Instead, like the deer, he wants us to camp out in his presence and see him as our resting place.

Our souls desire should be to remain in a continual state of seeking him.

Through prayer, worship, studying his word, we refresh ourselves in the streams of his presence.

Today, I can't help but imagine how different our world would be if the followers of Christ would all long for Jesus.

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