In Psalm 42:1, David compares himself to a stag tormented with thirst. The comparison brings out, first of all, directness. The deer pants—what for? You need not repeat the question or pause for a reply. Everybody can see by its smoking flanks, uplifted head, its palpitating heart, its rolling eyes, its thrust-out tongue, that it is panting for the water brooks. So with David—he is ill at ease, but it is no question with him what he needs in order to have rest of heart—“So pants my soul after You, O God,” he says, and so he goes at once to the point. He knew where he was—there was no beating about the bush, no pacing to and fro. He directs his arrow straight at the center of the target: “My soul thirsts for God, for the Living God.” Beloved, it is a great mercy when you and I know what we need, for ungodly people do not know; they thirst, but like fussy toddlers they know not what they are crying for; they long, and they pant, and their question is, “Who will show us any good?” But you and I know that our great need is the light of God’s countenance, and we have come to this. We will stand to this and we will hold to this—that we will never cease pleading till we really see that Face which makes the Heaven of angels, and that is all the Heaven we desire.

Now, is your desire as distinct and direct towards God as was the desire of David in the text? If not, chide yourself; chide yourself that you should be hovering in circles while the straight line is so much better. Bring out in plain words your soul’s desire. Let it well up from the lowest depths of your spirit, “I need; I need my God! I do not languish for that which others are fascinated with; I do not crave what others are ambitious for, but my God, my God, let me serve You, and enjoy You forevermore! Why have You forsaken me? Return unto me now! Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; say unto my soul, “I am your Salvation.” Reveal Your Son in me, and be Yourself my ever-present Friend.”

Notice next the unity of the saint’s desire. The deer longs after nothing else but the water brooks. There may have been other times when the poor stag had other natural desires; he may have desired the grassy plains or the shady woods; but now, hunted, wearied, steaming, panting, it must drink or die. It has but one thought—the water brooks, the cool, rippling rills, the refreshing pools. Now, if you are about to get a blessing from the Lord, you will have but one desire—your God, your God! You will have gathered up all your affections into one affection, and they will all be ascending towards your Lord; you will make no conditions, no stipulations with Him. If He will but come, even though He brings a rod with Him, you will be contented if He will but come; if you may but have His company, you will accept poverty, or the weary bed of sickness, or bereavement, or anything and everything which He may allot to you, if you may but have fellowship with Jesus! Let others ask for the bursting wine vat, or the barn that is filled with corn, but for you it will be enough if you find your Beloved, and may but hold Him and not let Him go, for this is the one and only all-absorbing longing of your hungering and thirsting spirit—that you may find your God, and be comforted with His eternal consolation. Have you ever seen a little child that has lost its way, crying in the streets for “Mother”? Now, you shall give that child what you will, but it will not stop its crying for “Mother.” It has lost her, and cannot be content; take the little wanderer into your house; show it many toys, give it many sweets, but all are of no avail, it wants “Mother,” and its little heart will burst unless it finds her! Now just show the little one its mother, let it fly into her bosom, and what more does it want? How perfectly content it is to be there.

And so have I felt that if I might but sob myself to sleep on the bosom of my dear God, if I must have all else taken away from me, if so it should please Him, if I could but be with Him—no other desire or longing could ever cross my soul. I know it is so with all the family of the Lord our God; their love to Him makes His presence there all in all. See that dove just taken from the cage to be set free? Tempt it to remain with you; cast down the seeds it loves to feed upon—no, it will not dwell with you! It mounts, it makes a few circles in the air, and then having turned its eye to the dear familiar dovecote, it is all wing for home. What can stop its flight? Call to it, allure it as you will, straight as an arrow it flies to its own beloved home, and rests not its weary wings till it rests in the house of its love. Even so it is with the believer’s soul; let him but go free and have his desire; unbind him of his corruptions; strip him of his cares; liberate him from his unbelief; let him have his freedom, and he will fly at once to his Lord Jesus, and nothing can tempt him to linger or find solace save in that blessed bosom of Infinite Love! A saint must have Christ to abide with him as the one thing necessary—like Mary, to leave all of Martha’s cares to sit at Jesus’ feet.

This is one and only all-absorbing longing of your hungering and thirsting spirit—that you may find your God.