Chris Tomlin - Love Ran Red DevotionsSýnishorn

“Waterfall”
Devotional- Chris Tomlin

Water has two faces. It can be refreshing and calming, peaceful and restorative. And it can be overpowering and forceful, dangerous and destructive. When King David wrote Psalm 42, he used the waterfalls of Judea as a metaphor for the political oppression he could not escape. “Deep calls to deep,” he said, “at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me” (v. 7).

You hear my heart when I call, when I call
Deep calls to deep

David is referring to his enemies and the chaos that cries out to chaos. It is problem after problem and, like waves, they can feel incessant. David goes on to ask many questions that may sound familiar to you:

“When shall I come and appear before God?” (v. 2)

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” (v. 5)

“Why have you forgotten me?” (v. 9)

“Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” (v. 9)

The waters are rushing fast and over your head and you don’t see a way out. But as much as water can overwhelm us; we need it for basic survival. It quenches our thirst. There are times we can’t handle its strength and there are times we need water so badly, we want to submerge our entire bodies into it.

I thirst for You
You’re an ocean to my soul
To my soul

God offers a different type of water from the tumultuous ones that oppress us; He offers us living water (John 4:10). David also says in Psalm 42, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (v. 1-2). Almost as if we need relief from the salt water and a taste of the fresh water. We long for the peace of God. We cry out for it, some days more than others, but our lives will be in constant thirst. This we can expect. For until Christ comes again, we will always yearn for him and the home that is in our hearts.

Thirst is not a bad thing. Uncomfortable, yes. Frustrating, yes. Exhausting, yes. But without it, how could we know our need for God?

In this dry and desert land
You lead me to streams of mercy once again
You’re an ocean to my soul
To my soul

If you find that you are not thirsty today and haven’t been for quite some time, could it be that you have grown comfortable with this earth and what it has to offer? Could it be that you have allowed it to fill your empty places and feel that you and what you have are enough? It’s a dangerous place to be—the place of false satisfaction. But God has more for you. He satisfies, and it is only His water that is enough.

By Andrea Lucado