All His Longings

One morning I was reading and praying through Jeremiah chapter 33. It was after I read verse 9 something wonderful happened.

"And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it." (KJV).

God brought a corrective judgment to a backsliden Israel because of their persistent rebellion and idolatry as well as other gross sins. Though it appears His people are ruined in a desolate city God extends a promise of restoration.

There was a deep longing in His heart for them to be restored and healed. Even centuries later when Jesus walked the earth He said, "...how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing" (Matthew 23:7, KJV).

Suddenly the air grew very still. In that moment it was if I heard God let out a deep aching sigh. I started to weep when He asked softly, "Maybe after all this they will love Me?".

Immediately I thought about my own life with a long and tired history of repeated failures and regrets. A soul which often felt the crushing weight of daily living. A mind that at times is twisted in knots from anxious and fearful thoughts. Like David I cried, "Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee." (Psalms 38:9,KJV).

I nearly missed it when He prompted me to read the verse again. He caused me to realize it was His goodness that draws the human heart to freely love and worship Him. So too does the kindness of God leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). It will always be His goodness as evidence of His longing for us to be in an abiding unbroken fellowship with us.

It was not my longings but His longings that mattered the most.

"Oh, God," I prayed while falling to my knees. "Let me love You afresh! Let this life You had to afflict and break so that I would keep Your word be Your redemptive story of Your goodness so that many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD (Psalms 40:3, KJV)."

Beloved, only His Spirit can cause us to love Him more fully and richly. Remember our prayers of faith are like incense rising from unfeigned lips that soothe His heart's desires. It's not so much our longings that we must seek to be answered but rather respond to all His longings. Abraham learned this truth despite waiting for a promised child and he became known as a friend of God.

In such a relationship you will find your longings being freely exchanged for all His longings and the fulfillment of them for a richer, peaceful life.