Thirsty

O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. – Psalm 68:1 (NRSV) 

O God, I’m so thirsty.  

I’m thirsty for a cup. I’m dying for a cup that I can share around the biggest table I can imagine. Or wait, maybe it’s a table bigger than any I can imagine—a table for Every Thirsty One. And I’m yearning for all those thirsty ones to first hear the words “remember you are forgiven,” and then, “When you drink from this cup remember that you are part of Forgiveness itself.” 

O God, I’m so thirsty.  

I’m thirsty for a well. I’m longing for a place where I can meet You and offer You something to drink. We’ll drink from that well together, and that water will be clear and cold. When we drink it, I know I’ll feel like I’ll never be thirsty again. And then, with that water still on our lips, You will tell something so true about myself and so hopeful about You that I can’t stop shouting about it.  

O God, I’m so thirsty.  

I’m thirsty for a river. I’m praying for a muddy bank, and a hand of invitation held out, and the courage to step into that water one foot at a time. I want to hear a trusted friend say, “When you are ready, come all the way in! And you are ready!” Then I believe this: I will hear Your voice, an echo and a song and a command all at once, crying like a bird, “This is my beloved child, with whom I am well pleased.” 

Prayer
O God, we are so thirsty. Give us Your living water from cups and wells and rivers. Amen.

About the Author
Rev. Jennifer Garrison (formerly Brownell) is a writer, spiritual director and pastor living in the Pacific Northwest. Her published work most recently appeared in the book The Words of Her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle, available from The Pilgrim Press.