As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. – Psalm 42:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 17, 2016): Psalm 42

The Loulan Kingdom was a strategic point on the main trade route, the Silk Road, from China through and into Europe in the west. Loulan existed on the north-eastern edge of the Lop Desert or the Lop Depression in North Eastern China and it existed on the edge of a lake called Lop Nur. Although the Kingdom of Loulan was an independent nation-state in ancient times, its strategic value eventually became its downfall The Han Dynasty in China fought for control of Loulan, and when they finally achieved control, they renamed the kingdom Shanshan and it began its existence as a puppet state of China.

But what is even more interesting is that the city disappeared almost 1500 years ago. Travelers who have stumbled on the site have been amazed at the city that stands with no people living in it. And while the Loulan Kingdom existed in an area that seems to have been consistently fought over throughout history, it isn’t war that caused the city’s demise. It was the lake called Lop Nur that is responsible for the city without people. Lop Nur is known as the travelling or disappearing lake. The lake is almost totally dependent on the Tarim River for its water, but the Tarim River has a tendency to shift its path, something the river has done several times throughout history. And when the river moves, so does Lop Nur, disappearing from one place and appearing in another. And about 1500 years ago, the Tarim River and Lop Nur – moved. Without a water source, the Loulan Kingdom was doomed. And slowly the people began moving away from the area, leaving the abandoned city. Today, China hopes to rebuild a Tourist City in the area to attract tourism into this abandoned area of China. But once there was a vital city of importance that stood on this place that was killed because of a lack of water.

We need water to live. The Psalmist looks at the deer panting for water and says that this is the way that we need to approach God. We need to recognize that we need God as much as we need water. Our very souls thirst after him.

It is no wonder that many of us are dried up husks where once a person lived. We have allowed the chase of other things to interfere with our pursuit of God. Often in the contemporary church, we have become invalids waiting for someone else to feed us and to give us a drink. Our hope is that we can come together occasionally in a spiritual service and receive enough nourishment to get us through until the next time. And in between we seek after that which we consider to be more important than God. But our rare worship experiences are not enough to sustain us. And so, in reality, we begin to dry out and die.

The Psalmist’s advice to battle this condition is simple. Make it your daily task to chase after God, to nourish your soul with the presence of God as you nourish your body with cooling liquid. You need water, but don’t forget that you also stand in desperate need of God.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 43