Chips and Salsa

This morning I woke up to the sound of the rain. 
It wasn't the rain that woke me up. Is was Fin, our cat, standing on my chest demanding to be fed his morning treats. But above his purring and the bulldogs unsynchronized snoring I could hear the beautiful sound of spring rain. The sound was juxtaposed to the realization that I also woke up parched. I could not wait until I got up to get a drink of water. I had not been that thirsty since my last mission trip to Uganda. I have many suspicions as to why I was so thirsty, all my fault, involving coffee and not enough water, but I was more fascinated with my thirst. 

Do we every really allow ourselves to be thirsty before grabbing a bottle of water? Do we ever allow ourselves to get actually hungry before drinking? What do I thirst for right now besides water? I thirst for people. I have way more productive at home. I can now juggle video editing, video conference calls, reading and house work like a pro but I miss daily interaction and conversation. I am hungry for shopping in a few stores that I like to frequent in town. I can't wait to eat OUT, like actually in a restaurant. I am thirsty for salsa...served on a crispy warm chip from a paper lined basket. 

As I studied today, I was taken to Psalm 42. Psalm 42 is not a psalm written by David. It is written by the descendants of Korah. Interesting side note about Korah, he was a Levite, a priest. He is noted for leading a rebellion against Moses, God's chosen deliverer of His people from Egyptian slavery. (see Numbers 16) Korah, the priest, gathered up a lot of community leaders and formed a rebellion, a protest, against Moses. They felt their thoughts were higher than Moses and those who followed his leadership so they rose up against Moses. Mostly, tired of having to wait on God to provide their needs, it was taking too long to reach the land flowing with milk and honey, that had been promised.  Korah and his cohorts were thirsty for the "good" life they had left in Egypt as slaves. 

Why all this talk about Korah? Well...his descendants trusted God, so they, in turn, trusted Moses. Years later, when David was the King of Israel, he appointed men from the clan of Korah to serve as musical directors in the Temple. (see 1 Chronicles 6:31-38) It was one of those men that wrote Psalm 42. I feel as though a descendant of Korah would know about spiritual thirst. As history played out, Moses became for the people of Israel, their great deliverer that had been sent by God. Moses delivered God's words of life to them through the covenant of Moses, what we now know as the Ten Commandments. How hard it would have been to feel as though you "owe" God for your ancestor's horrible acts against Moses and ultimately God; fighting for comfort over the God's promise of care and life with Him.

I spend a lot of time "hungry and thirsty", but not really. I am really just wanting to drink something yummy and eat because it is time and/or something tasty is in front of me (flashback to the basket of chips and salsa). My question for myself today is, "Do I long to pant as a deer pants for water", for God? Maybe I don't, because I satiate my thirst with other things; my hunger by stuffing myself with other activities. Something to ponder for the day.

Today:

• Rate your thirst for God and the coming of His Kingdom to this world.
• Observe what is filling your spiritual belly.
• Check the Korah within you, the part of you that rebels agains God's time for you. In other words, check your desires, your choices, against the teachings of God through Jesus.