“As the Deer Pants for the Pool Water” (Pick a Card Series)
July 29, 2023
A corner of my mom’s backyard was chosen as the delivery room for two beautiful fawns earlier this June. Since the yard is completely fenced in and the fawns were unable to jump a fence, our theory was that the mommy deer hurdled the fence and birthed her babies. We followed their beginning days of life, even named them, and watched their daily comings and goings around the yard.
Since there is no flowing stream in mom’s backyard, the fawns would wander to the rainwater which collected on the surface of the pool cover. The puddled water would quench their need for refreshment albeit at the risk of falling through the cover and possibly injuring themselves and ripping the cover in the process.
Watching these beautiful deer, especially as they attempted to quench their thirst, reminded me of Psalm 42:1 –
As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
Just like the deer yearns (pants) for revitalizing water, the author of this Psalm feels a longing (pants) deep within his very being – a thirst that can only be satisfied by his connection with God. Have you ever felt that deep longing for something greater? Have you ever longed to be connected with the Creator just like the deer yearns for water?
Psalm 42:1 portrays a metaphor that captures the essence of human desires. Just as the deer cannot survive without water, our souls pant for a vital relationship with God, seeking His presence and love with an unquenchable passion. When our souls genuinely thirst for God, we are met with His unconditional love and grace. As a deer revitalizes its body and quenches its thirst through water, even if it’s pool water, so our souls find true refreshment, peace, and purpose through our connection with God.
Postscript – The fawns are still quite young, but they are growing and have found a way out of the yard. However, they return “home” regularly and we so enjoy seeing them. As long as they stay away from the pool cover, that is!