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Gatorade used to have an advertising campaign saying it was the “thirst quencher.” Personally, when I’m thirsty my preference is ice cold water or Pepsi. I’ve never been much of a Gatorade drinker, because I don’t care for the taste. Just because some sports star on TV tells me it’ll quench my thirst doesn’t mean it actually will. If I don’t even want to drink it, it definitely won’t quench my thirst.

I get physically thirsty pretty often, which is good so I drink more water and stay hydrated. But what about spiritual thirst? Are you ever thirsty for God’s presence, like you would be for water or a Gatorade?

The writer of Psalm 42 shares with us that he had a thirst for God. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

When you’re terribly thirsty and craving a drink of water, all that can truly quench that thirst is water. When you’re terribly in need of God’s presence, all that can truly quench that need is being in God’s presence. Have you ever felt that need so strong, that your entire desire is to quench it?

We humans thirst for many things in this life. Do you thirst for love? For acceptance? For that one special person who completes your entire world? All of these things may temporarily quench your thirst for them, but just like with taking a drink of water, at some point you will be thirsty again and need more. The only Person who can ever completely quench all of the thirsts in your life is God. He is the only One who will always come through on everything He promises - to love you, to accept you, and to entirely complete your world and quench every desire of your soul.

God may not give us the physical things that quench the desires of our human nature, but He guarantees us that He will quench our spiritual thirst if we just turn to Him and drink in His presence.