Oceans in the Desert

by Kathi Pelton

There is an insatiable thirst that is present in the lives of God’s people that causes them to run after Him with a desperate abandonment. It is like a man on a desert road in the scorching sun who begins to thirst. He will go to any lengths to get a drink and when he finally does he will drink deeply. Thirst is a gift because it causes us to search for Him like a man in search of water. There are times that seem as if the drink that we so desperately desire evades our reach. But it is in those times that room is made in the depths of our souls for drinking deep.

In Luke 5 we find Simon frustrated from a long night of fishing with no results. He is tired, empty handed and though it does not say he was desperate, one can imagine the desperation he felt after having no results or pay off for all of his work. In verse 4 the Lord addresses Simon saying,

“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

Desperation causes us to do what we wouldn’t do if we had been given what we had wanted in our first attempt. Simon responded to the Lord’s request and went out once again. He threw his nets into the deep waters and found more than he could ask or imagine when he pulled in his nets.

There have been many times in my life when I feel as though I have worked through a long night season only to come up short and it is in those times that the Lord speak similar words to me,

“Daughter, go deeper. Throw yourselves into the depths of My love and watch what you draw in.”

Then, like Simon, who fell on his knees before the Lord, I find myself in a new awareness of how great His love is toward me and I fall on my knees before Him once again. When I once again drink deep of His love I begin to experience the manifestation of Psalm 42:7,

“Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.”

Once again my heart finds courage and I am given a renewed boldness to run after Him knowing that with every step I am drawn into greater depths. I cry out the words from Romans 11:33 that say,

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”

Hunger and thirst is a gift. Desperation and pain is a gift. Longing and waiting is a gift. Even hope deferred can be a gift because it is there that we are invited into the deep places and can experience the unsearchable and unfathomable ways of His love. Desire fulfilled is far more beautiful to the desperately thirsty soul than it is to the satisfied soul. He is calling you deeper…and deeper still. Let Him draw you into the deep waters where you will find a love beyond comprehension.

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