“[For
my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become
more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and
understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and
that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His
resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His
sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even]
to His death, [in the hope] That if possible I may
attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among
the dead [even while in the body].”—Philippians 3:10-11
When Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, he was a
prisoner at Rome, A.D. 62. Paul was instrumental
in planting this church; in fact, he received the “call” to go preach the gospel at Philippi through a vision in the
night (Acts 16:9). The beginning of the
church was very small; Lydia, a business woman who was the first European convert,
a jailer, and a few others. Paul suffered very hard things at Philippi; he
was scourged, and put into stocks (Acts 16:23-24); yet Paul was determined not allow the difficulties he experienced to dull
his spiritual senses and intimacy with Christ.
We, as believers, must follow Paul’s example if we are to pursue
a deep personal relationship with Christ.
The daily rituals of living in a fallen world can take a toll and dull our
spiritual senses. So, instead of longing
for a deeper intimacy with Christ, our attention becomes distracted to find
fulfillment in the things of the world.
The end result is that we go through our days, and weeks robbed of the
joy and satisfaction of a close relationship with the Lord, and in need of a fresh spiritual awakening.
Do you desire to have a fresh awakening to God and His presence
in your life? Do you yearn for an
awareness of His holiness? Are you longing
for a love relationship in which your Love talks to you and you to Him? If you do, it is then time to return to Him
with all of your heart. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so
pants my soul for You, O God” (Psalm 42:1).
“As the Deer” is the
title of a well-known worship song by Martin Nystrom that was written in 1981 and
is based on Psalm 42:1. The lyrics are:
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
Chorus
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
You're my friend and You are
my brother
Even though You are a king
And I love You more than any other
So much more than anything
Even though You are a king
And I love You more than any other
So much more than anything
I want You more than gold or
silver
Only You can satisfy
You alone are the real joy giver
And the apple of my eye
Only You can satisfy
You alone are the real joy giver
And the apple of my eye
Most Bible commentaries agree that the word used for “deer” in this verse means a female deer.
The word rendered in the text "panteth,"
occurs only in this place and in Joel 1:20, where it is applied to the beasts of the field as "crying" to God in a time of
drought. The word properly means to rise; to ascend; and then, to look up
toward anything; to long for. It refers here to the intense desire of the deer,
in the heat of day, for water; or, in Joel, to the desire of the cattle for
water in a time of drought.
The psalmist so beautifully and appropriately described
the earnest longing of a soul after God.
There is no desire of the soul more intense than that which the humble
heart has for God; there is no want more deeply felt than that which is
experienced when one who loves God is cut off by any cause from communion with
him.
Jesus assured
us that He is the water that will never run dry and that when we seek Him we
will find Him. “But whoever drinks of the
water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give
him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life”
(John 4:14). “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given
to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who
seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father
among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a
fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him
a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11: 9-13).
Prayer—Father I repent of worldly distractions and all unclean filth of
this world and I ask You to forgive me and cleanse me from all
unrighteousness. I ask You for a fresh
awakening of You and Your presence in my life.
Lord I long for a love relationship with You and I ask You to touch and
awaken my heat, in Jesus Name. Amen.
