As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

  - Psalm 42.1, 2

My soul is like a land without water.
My bowels burned as if with fire.
May my heart burn with the fire of Your love and fear,
Your love and holy fear which knows not how to yield.

  - The Prayers of Moucan, Irish, 8th-9th century[1]

One overarching passion should consume all who have made the Kingdom turn.

This is the passion to know God and Jesus Christ, and to enjoy the presence of the Lord. This, after all, is the substance of eternal life (Jn. 17.3). We have been called to the Kingdom and glory of God, friends, and if we have truly heeded that calling, knowing the Lord and His presence will be our constant, consuming desire.

I wonder if we can pray the words of the psalmist sincerely? Do we long for the presence of God with a burning thirst that can only be quenched by His living water? Do we seek opportunities, throughout the day, just to grab a few moments with Him? Do we smile and rejoice to see His glory in the world around us? Do we delight in His unfailing faithfulness? Do we give thanks often for His many gifts and blessings?

Or are our best affections wasted on fleeting things?

For many of us, our souls are like deserts, parched and gasping to be irrigated by the waters of reviving grace; yet we are scarcely aware of the drought conditions that obtain there. If only our hearts were like that of the psalmist, “When, Lord? When can I get a few moments alone with You?”

Moucan knew whereof we speak. His soul was parched and burning. He prayed that his heart – the seat of all our affections, the “wellspring of all being”, as Edwards put it – would burn with fire from and for the Lord. He longed to love and fear the Lord so much that his soul would not know how to yield to sin, but only to embrace and obey the good and perfect will of God.

If only that were our great desire and longing as well!

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you…?” our gracious God demands to know. “[T]o fear the LORDour God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him...” (Deut. 10.12). What God wants from us above all else is that we fear and love Him, our souls on fire with longing to be in His presence, hungry to commune with Him, slaked and satisfied only by looking into the face of Jesus and beholding the glory of God there (2 Cor. 4.6).

We waste our most sincere affections on matters of merely temporal significance, while love for the eternal God grows dry and dusty, and our souls wither. Our souls thirst for the early and latter rains of God’s refreshing presence, yet we have become sadly accustomed to the drought that parches our minds, hearts, and consciences. We sip from the river of life, when God calls us to plunge in and become immersed in and carried along by it.

Moucan’s prayer would be a good one to memorize, both to begin each day and to offer up to the Lord throughout the day:

May my heart burn with the fire of Your love and fear,
Your love and holy fear which knows not how to yield.

Let us press on, friends, to know, love, and serve our risen and reigning King. Seek His presence throughout the day, and find in Him your fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16.11).

Psalm 42.1-3 (Nettleton: Come, Thou Fount)
As the deer pants for fresh water let my soul, Lord, pant for You!
Let my soul thirst as it ought to for the Savior, ever true!
Tears by day have been my portion, tears by night have been my food,
While my foes add to my sorrow, saying, “Where now is your God?”

Lord, give and grant and impart to me Your holy grace, and Your Holy Spirit, to protect me and preserve me from all my sins, and to kindle in me all righteousness. Adapted from Litany of Jesus II[2]

The Kingdom Turn
Have you made the turn into the Kingdom of God? Is seeking the Kingdom your highest priority each day? Are you growing in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit? Is the rule of King Jesus advancing in and through your life? If you have made the Kingdom turn, you’ll know it. If not, you don’t know what you’re missing. Learn more about life in the Kingdom of God by ordering a copy of our book, The Kingdom Turn (click here).

The Celtic Revival
Want to learn more about the Celtic Revival? Let us send you a free copy of our book, The Celtic Revival: A Brief Introduction. Just write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and John Nunnikhoven will send you a copy right away.

Visit our bookstore, where you can find many resources to help you in following the Lord each day. And watch this brief video about Men at Prayer, our movement for seeking the Lord for revival. Encourage every believing man you know to watch this video and to join this growing movement giving God no rest until He renews His Church for revival and awakening in our day.

And may I encourage you to seek the Lord about becoming a supporter of The Fellowship of Ailbe? It’s easy to give to The Fellowship of Ailbe, and all gifts are, of course, tax-deductible. You can click here to donate online through credit card or PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.

T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.