Stay Thirsty, My Friends

By Jim Duggan

Published: July 31, 2008

Have you ever wondered why farmers put out salt blocks for cows to lick? You haven't thought about it? Well, I am going to tell you anyway.

Cows have a very low sodium diet; after all, they mostly eat grass - the equivalent of eating nothing but salad with NO dressing. Very low sodium. Bovine bodies require a certain amount of sodium to function properly, and when the sodium level gets dangerously low, their kidneys shut down in an effort to stop the elimination of sodium. Of course, that can be fatally dangerous. Licking salt adds sodium to the diet, creates a thirst for water, and keeps the kidneys functioning properly. This regiment should only be followed if you are bovine, well, and actually equine. But if you are a human, do not try this at home. We get plenty of sodium, way too much, really.

Let's think of thirst, though, in spiritual terms. How thirsty are we for God? Think about the following verses:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" - Psalm 42:1-3

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. - Psalm 63:1

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. - Matthew 5:6

I fear that we have grown satisfied with religious activity in the place of a vital dynamic relationship with God. We sing our songs, recite our prayers, dutifully read our Bibles each day yet we do not hear the voice of God or see the hand of God in our lives. We are content DOING things FOR God yet we miss out on BEING in a relationship WITH God.

FRIENDS, JESUS DID NOT DIE ON THE CROSS SO WE COULD DO RELIGIOUS THINGS . . . HE DIED SO WE COULD HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

Let me challenge you to ask God to give you a dissatisfaction with a life that simply goes through the motions without experiencing the One for whom we do the motions. Let the Word of God be a holy salt lick that creates a thirst to know God better and experience God more profoundly in our life every day. As we read about Him and learn about Him, we will desire to know Him. Pray that we would echo the sentiments of Paul: "I want to know Christ . . ." (Philippians 3:10)

Stay thirsty, my friends.

Originally posted 7/31/08 by Pastor Jim Duggan at Jim's Gems. Jim Duggan is Pastor of First Baptist Church of Houschton, GA and is a frequent contributer to 316 Networks Blog Central.