THE FAMILY ALTAR 

July 30.

"As the hart [the deer] panteth after the waterbrooks, so

panteth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God,

for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God."

Ps. 42:1-2.

As the hunted, weary deer pants after refreshing water, so

David's soul thirsts for the saving presence of his God. In the

living God alone can the hunger and thirst of his soul be stilled.

Whoever has awakened from his natural sleep of sinful security,

and has come to realize what it means to be without God and

therefore without hope in the world, knows something of this

burning thirst after God that consumes the awakened sinner's soul.

The old church-father St. Augustine writes truly : "Our hearts

are created for Thee, 0 God, and they can find no rest until they

rest in Thee." But in vain does the soul longing for righteousness

and joy and peace seek to satisfy its thirst at the fountains of

earthly wisdom, riches, or pleasure. It soon learns that the trivial

things of this world can never satisfy the deep longing of its heart.

Only God, the living God, has power to revive it, and He does

so through the Gospel of His love in Jesus Christ, the Savior of

the world. In Jesus we see the face of our God beaming on us

in soul-entrancing love and mercy and find in Him the righteous-

ness and joy and peace for which we crave, sweet communion with

God, sure hope of everlasting life. Jesus has won for us forgiveness

of all our sins, has abolished death, and brought life and immortality

to light. He says of Himself: "I am come that they [My sheep]

might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

He leads us beside the still waters sparkling in His blessed Gospel-

promises, and so restores our fainting, thirsting soul. All praise

be to His great love forevermore. Amen.