We are Thirsty Part II

Hi everyone.  We are thirsty!  This is my 2nd blog in my series regarding our thirst.  In this blog, I am talking about our thirst for God.  In our thirst for God, we run to instant gratification.  This does not quench our thirst.  It will only help for a short while, and then we need more-- more stuff, more relationships, more food, more travel, more things to fill our time.  But when we call out to God and allow him to come into our lives, something happens.  We are a new person in Christ.  And when we ask for baptism of the Holy Spirit, we are filled to the brim with his Holy Spirit.  When these things happen, we are unable to do the sinful things we did in the past.  We strive to do good.  We are happy and content during any storms that come our way.  We learn to trust God and have faith in him.  He uses the storms to draw us closer to him and to trust him.

In my life, God has been a part of my life since I was 4.  I was raised catholic and went to  classes and also went to catholic school for 6th through the 9th grades.  I learned more.  I felt close to God.  At one point I wanted to be a nun.  That changed later.  When I was in my 20's, I fell away from the catholic church.  It no longer seemed to fill my needs.  I went looking for a new church.  I went to a mission baptist church, but that didn't suit me.  My supervisor invited me to her church, which was a lutheran church and I stayed there for 20 years.  It seemed like I had found my place.  But something

started happening.  As my life started to unravel, my church and I didn't seem to connect.  I was able to connect only when I was singing.  I felt empty and was searching for God.

Then my divorce came and I decided to try out this church that I had been driving past almost every day.  I had been curious about it.  It drew me.  So, on an overcast Saturday with a car that was dying, I made my way to the church.  I was a little late.  The ladies in the lobby said they would find me a seat.  When I walked into the auditorium, I immediately felt the power.  It was amazing!  I sat off to the side but I heard every word.  I clung to the pastor's voice as he gave the message. My gaze never wavered.   I really liked the church.  I felt close to God.  I felt like he was in the church.  I recommitted my life to Christ then and it has never been the same.

Pastor Kevin Gerald said that the church is a hospital.  He is so right.  God wants to draw us near to him.  He wants to fill us with his spirit.  He wants us to have an intimate relationship with him.  He wants to be right beside us as we go through our trials and tribulations of everyday life.  He wants to be our best friend.  He wants to fill us with the living water of himself.  He is everything.