Monday, January 19, 2009

LONGING FOR GOD


INTRODUCTION

There was a young lady named Mary who fell in love. Not puppy love. No, this was her first, truest and deepest love. She married the man she loved. Then Mary and her husband had children. She was happy and fulfilled.

And then one day, without any warning, her husband died. Mary was devastated. However, Mary was a strong woman and she had two young children depending on her. So, despite her pain, in time she pulled herself together and got on with her life. Mary worked very hard, took good care of her children and always spoke respectfully and cheerfully about her husband. She hid the pain very well.

But at night, when she lay in her bed alone, she missed him desperately. She ached for him. She often awoke dreaming he was there beside her. But she knew, no matter how much she cried, no matter how much she prayed, as long as she lived on this earth, she would never see her husband again. She longed for him.


SCRIPTURE

Focus Verse: Psalm 119:20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

Additional Verses: Matthew 7:7-8, Psalm 42:1-2, Psalm 63:1


DISCUSSION

When you lie in bed and can’t sleep, what do you long for? If you are a Christian, your first and deepest longing should be for God. Above all else, you should desire to have a relationship with God that is very personal. You should pray to know Him better each day and include Him in all aspects of your life (if you can’t talk to God about it, you probably don’t need it in your life).

Each and every day, you should strive to become more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As you grow in the Lord, your heart should burn with a yearning to be close to Him (Matthew 22:37-38). But unlike Mary’s situation above (dealing with the heartbreak of knowing she will not see her husband again this side of Heaven), if you honestly and earnestly seek after God, your longing will not go unfulfilled. God has promised that if we seek Him, we will find Him. Knowing that God is faithful to keep His promises, through our faith in Him, this should bring us great comfort.

One of my favorite attributes of God is His omnipresence (He is everywhere all the time). Therefore He is always with you. In fact, as a Christian, His Holy Spirit is living in your heart. You are the temple of God. If you have not achieved this level of longing for God, don’t despair. Most of us have not gotten there yet. However, we should want to be there. Commit to spending more time in Bible study, prayer, attending church and fellowshipping with other believers. Seek God. Long for Him.


PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I pray that you will fill my heart with a longing for you. Help me to be sensitive to the leading of Your Holy Spirit. Draw me closer dear Lord as I seek after You. Amen.