“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. Where can I go and meet with God.” (Psalm 42:1-2)

What is the most thirsty you have ever been? When I consider that question, in my memories I go back to those early days in the cotton fields of Georgia I wrote about last summer in Lessons From The Cotton Field. My greatest motivation for completing the row of cotton I was hoeing or picking was the jug of cold ice water that Daddy always made sure was waiting at the end.

As with any physical activity, especially in the stifling afternoon sun of middle Georgia, it was vitally important to guard against physical dehydration. But the psalmist here is more focused on spiritual dehydration.

Every day, it seems our enemy adds tools to his arsenal to keep us distracted from the work God is doing in our lives. If he can distract us long enough, he can soon have us as downcast and distant from the Living Water as the psalmist describes in verse 5, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (NIV)

That is why it is so critical that we consciously and habitually set aside time each morning to remind ourselves whose we are and to arm ourselves with the armor we need to guard against the enemy’s unrelenting schemes before any spiritual dehydration has a chance to take root. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Just like a good breakfast, early spiritual nourishment supplied by digesting God’s Word and communicating with its Author through prayer is so vitally important to the work God is doing in shaping us to become more like Christ and in equipping us for any battle we might face that day.

Don’t pass up such a privilege because you’re just too busy. Set your clocks a little earlier. As far as return on investment of my time, I’ve found none better.

“I must take care above all that I cultivate communion with Christ, for though that can never be the basis for my peace – mark that – yet it will be the channel of it.” – Charles Spurgeon