Psalm 107:9 

For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

In Psalm 107:9 the word used here for ‘longing’ has the implication of a beast seeking its prey, a greedy hunger. Have you ever felt like you were searching for something but you didn’t know what? Ever feel like you are longing for more but not sure where to find it? This hunger, thirst, and exhaustion is where Jesus comes into play. Psalm 107: 4-9 in The Message describes it well:

Some of you wandered for years in the desert, looking but not finding a good place to live, Half-starved and parched with thirst, staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion. Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God. He got you out in the nick of time; He put your feet on a wonderful road that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. He poured great drafts of water down parched throats; the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.

We are all looking for the ‘good place’ and that place is in the presence of God. No matter if you are born again or not, we all have a longing… desperate hunger… thirst for the presence of God. For example take the Samaritan woman in John 4. This woman had been searching for a cure to her “thirst” in all the wrong places. Five husbands and she was still looking. Jesus says to her, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” Later in the same chapter Jesus says, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” Here, Jesus is telling us that we may long for worldly things-drinks, food, people-but none of those things will ever fulfill and satisfy you like He will. 

Now, again I ask these questions… Have you ever felt like you were searching for something but you didn’t know what? Ever feel like you are longing for more but not sure where to find it? If you answered yes to either question, I have the answer. The answer is God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. He will satisfy your soul with goodness. That longing will turn into love, laughter and eternal life. 

Posted 02/01/2023