Sermon Central
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Deer Are Creatures Of Consistency. This Species ...
Contributed by Paul Dietz on Sep 20, 2008 (message contributor)
Deer are creatures of consistency. This species of the animal kingdom pretty well knows its territory. It knows where it can always find a good meal of a few apples, acorns or grain. As for finding a source for water, this creature always seems to know of most of the local streams, ponds or lake. The paths, trails and crossings they use are marked well because of their constant travels to and fro throughout their wilderness travels.
All this continues to happen consistently until either they are being driven by those times of rutting or are being hunted by the illustrious hunter. During these times of utter confusion and upheaval they may even be driven from their terrain of familiarity and find themselves in unknown territory.
It is during these times of bewilderment and disruptions of its normal routine that cause the heart of this creature to beat faster, causing it dehydrate. It begins a search of this strange territory for a taste of refreshing waters from some nearby stream. Knowing it cannot come into the open fields or step out of the protection of the thickets it thirst deeply. All it longs for is for the chance to dip its parched tongue into the cooling liquid of a babbling brook.
Such it is with those of us who also are removed from our consistency of our day-to-day routines. We, too, find ourselves in strange territories of illness, failure and loss. And all we long for is a taste once again of the good life. We are panting for the sweet blessings of our loving Savior, desiring to once again return to the times of normalcy.
Where do we go to rest beside the still waters of God’s love and compassion? Where can we find those streams of refreshing miracles that will allow us to escape from our moments of spiritual dryness? Where may we turn to bathe and bask in the freshness of the chilling waters of his faithfulness toward us, once again?
The answer is plain and easy to understand. Just like the psalmist, it is through the longing of the heart for more of God and a deeper relationship and dependency upon Him that we may we return to the familiar surroundings of consistent living. Only through reestablishing that personal relationship with God and knowing that we cannot make it on our own, will we be able to taste the refreshment of the waters of spiritual blessing.
It begins with prayer. It is a prayer of deep emotion, pleading with God for more of Him and more of His Son and more of the Holy Spirit. And while there in the midst of beseeching God’s favor, we must humble ourselves be Him and be willing to submit to His intervention into our day-to-day routine. It means to allow God to have the control and to let God be who He is: God!
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