a surrendered life

After eating a couple bags of potato chips, sure I'm thirsty. I'll grab a cold soda or juice and feel fine. But after running a mile in ninety-degree weather, I'm thirsty with a capital T . Nothing can quench this thirst like water-- pure, clear water. And that's all I want.  Exercise makes us crave water like little else. In the same way, we need to exercise our spirits to crave the pure water of the Word of God. The flip side of this is also true-- avoid anything that makes us crave earthly things. In other words, don't taste what you don't want to crave. Staying thirsty for the Lord means a constant quenching in His word. There is something oddly satisfying in the mere craving for Christ. Even in desiring Him, I find some fulfillment, as John says "purified even as he is pure (1 John 3:3)." It's so different than the desire for anything else, which in itself breeds only dissatisfaction and unrest. When this desire for Christ is que...