To Live is Christ — daily nourished

I was about ten years old when I discovered that drinking too fast can be painful. I’d been outside on a hot day strenuously hill-climbing. I came in parched, grabbed a glass of cold water and gulped it down. My throat seemed to go into convulsions from my neck to my stomach. This was a painful way to learn that sometimes sipping is better.

Since then, I’ve also learned that to stay hydrated I need to drink about six glasses of water a day. Sometimes I realize I’ve not been drinking enough because I’m suddenly very thirsty — so quickly gulp a couple of glasses. However, sipping is better than waiting until I’m parched.

I’ve also noticed that spending time with God is similar. 

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? (Psalm 42:1–2)

This psalm does not say what happened to the psalmist. Why was he so thirsty? Was he in deep trouble? Had he missed spending time with God and become parched? Was he negligent in his daily worship?

The word “daily” occurs nearly sixty times in the Bible. Most of these refer to meeting with God in some type of spiritual discipline. For instance, our souls need nourishment and Scripture is spiritual food. Jesus said that we need to ask God to give us our “daily bread” and Paul said we need to desire the Word of God like a baby desires milk — indicating often. Our spiritual life depends on nourishment from the Lord.

When I spend time in the Bible, sipping and gulping both happen, yet the depth of my thirst or the amount of time that I spend are not as important as frequency. My body does not thrive unless I eat regular meals. My spirit suffers and becomes parched unless I sip or gulp every day.

Sometimes I come to God with the thirst the psalmist describes. I am eager to hear God speak and eager to find spiritual nourishment. However, some days I don’t feel like reading the Bible or praying. I’m either tired or busy or have other reasons, but I do it anyway. I have observed those who feast only when hungry. Their spiritual lives suffer because of it.

I’ve also noticed that reading increases the desire to read. God speaks and I am blessed. My desire to hear from Him grows and encourages me to spend more time with Him.

However, I cannot wait until my desire for God is unbearable. Like rich food or a cold drink to a parched body, so is the Word of God. While reading it only when I feel a desperate need is better than nothing, reading it often is far better. When I do, I soon realize that, like food, I need it all the time.