Lent Devotional for HCC on Ps. 42: 1 & 2

1 As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

Even if you’re not a naturalist, you may have noticed that deer do not carry bottle waters: not Evian, not Arrowhead, not even the twelve bottles for a buck at $1 tree. (I’d like to say the buck pun was not intended, but…)
My point is, and I do have one, that though we have a wide variety of sources to fulfill our thirst, from the kitchen sink to the office drinking fountain, a deer probably just knows one place to quench its thirst. It knows where to find that one stream. When thirsty, it will probably make every effort and risk any danger to reach that stream. The chance of a mountain lion or hunter in wait will not keep the deer from seeking out its source of water.
We have only one source for spiritual refreshment. Sure there rival claims for refreshment. People look for satisfaction from material goods, achievement, sensual pleasures or within themselves. But these sources do as much good as giving a dehydrated man a Coke or a Bourbon straight. Perhaps a better analogies would be a poisoned well or a full glass from the Pacific.
God alone can thirst the quench the thirst of the soul. At this time of lent, we are wise to take every opportunity, take any risk, sacrifice to seek Him.