Psalm 42:1-3

1 As the deer pants for the water brooks,

So my soul pants for You, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;

When shall I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night,

While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?”

My Longings….

Yesterday, was an adventure to say the least.  My neighbor needed to go to PriceSmart, which is like Sam’s in the States, to get a few items.  I also needed to go to a bookstore to find a school book for a child that we are helping sponsor at our children’s school.  Well, these task may sound very simple if you were living in the States.  However, in Nicaragua, trying to find places can sometimes be next to impossible.  Why?  Because places really don’t have an address here.  Think about it like this.  When your grandparents or great grandparents would give directions to a place it usually went something like this, “When you go down the dirt road and you get to the Pure station take a left, then go past old farmer Bob’s house and take the next right.  You will go a little ways until you see the old oak tree and the house is on the left.”  OK, the problem with this is that the Pure station is not there anymore and you have not clue who old farmer Bob is much less where his house may be located.  Then the old oak tree has fallen so who knows where that house is on the right.  HA!  Well, here in Nicaragua, you have to know all the Rotunda names and the highways that you are on….they all start looking alike when you are driving.  Then you have to pay attention to the landmarks around you because that is how you give directions here as well as telling people that you go so many blocks and turn right or left.  Our blocks are not the same as their blocks here, rest assured.  

The other day I tried to find this bookstore on my own and to no avail came home.  So, I guess it is better to have someone with you who will help navigate and encourage you that you will find the store.  Guess what….yesterday, we found it!  Much to my dismay though they did not have the book I needed so we ventured off to another store, OH MY is all I can say.  At this point…

I longed for my comfort zone.

I longed for the sense of direction that I normally have while driving.

I longed for something familiar.

I longed to be home in a place of security and comfort.

The next place we went was a three story “mall”.  The parking deck gave us the creeps and when we saw daylight we turned the car towards the light and were able to park outside in the open.  Whew!  At no time did I feel in danger, it was just that this was so far out of my comfort zone.  When we walked in the “mall” we must have had the deer in the headlight look because a Nicaraguan who worked there, said “Do you speak English?”  YES!!!!!!   He asked how he could help us and we told him we were looking for the Liberia Gonper (Gonper Bookstore).  He pointed us on our way and we just laughed because I am sure we looked so out of place.  I believe we were probably the only Gringas (english speaking foreigners, especially North Americans) in the place.  

This morning though I realize that not only did I long for those other things, I longed for my Heavenly Father to give me a peace about the entire experience.  I longed to feel His presence.  I long to feel His presence everyday and to know that I am doing the right thing.  I long to be in HIS will and not my own.  Just as Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My Will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Do you long for His will and not your own?  Do you thirst for His presence in your life like a deer pants for streams and waters?  I am reminded everyday that God’s plans for my life are far better than my plans.  Why?  Because His plans for my life will bring honor and glory to Him.  SO, those things that I was longing for I can find them in Him. 

God is my comfort zone.  

God is my direction.

God is my familiar.

God is where I can find my home.  

Prayer: Father, thank you for the longings you have placed in my heart.  The longings for Your will, for Your direction, for You as my something familiar and for being able to find my home/my comfort/my security in You.  My prayer is that others will know these same longings in their life.  May they desire for Your will to be done in their life and not their own.  Bring comfort and peace to those who need it today.  In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen.