ODJ: the longing of God
May 17, 2010
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them” (v.3).
READ: Revelation 21:1-4
Blaise Pascal once said the now-famous words: “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which [can] be filled . . . only be filled by God.” St. Augustine once prayed, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” In Revelation 21 we see the end of human longing—the heart at rest in relationship with its Creator in His eternal kingdom.
Something we spend less time thinking about, however, is the longing that God has—a longing that will also be fulfilled on that great day. Now, to be sure, an omnipotent, self-sufficient God doesn’t lack anything. We don’t meet God’s needs. But throughout biblical history, God has expressed His longing for us: “You will be Mine.”
• “I will claim you as My own people, and I will be your God” (Exodus 6:7).
• “I will be your God, and you will be My people” (Leviticus 26:12).
• “I will put My instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33).
• “You will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be My people, and I will be your God” (Ezekiel 36:28).
For thousands of years, God has had one desire—a people drawn to Himself. This longing has fueled His missionary endeavors: sending prophets to call back His straying people, sending His Son to find His straying sheep (Luke 19:10). In the kingdom of God, His desire will finally be fulfilled: “I will be their God, and they will be My children” (Revelation 21:7).
God is our King and Judge, that’s true. But we often miss His Father heart—a heart that longs for our free, loving, devoted allegiance to Him; a heart that awaits that longing to be fulfilled. —Sheridan Voysey
How do you view God? The “You will be My people” statements are often in the context of God’s disobedient people repenting. How can this encourage you when you repent of your sin?
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This always give me the courage that when we turn to our God for repentance he will forgive us, remind and renew his convenant with us as he as always do to the Isrealites and our God never change.
we can make mistake and sin later pray for forgiveness and God will hear but it is wrong to make the same mistake again and again.
I believe that when we come to God in prayer to ask Him for forgiveness,He is merciful and we are assured He has forgiven us.God is a loving God,He loves us the way He loved the Israelites,He is merciful to us the way He was merciful to the Israelites.
When we sin there is guilt and a coldness in our hearts. And though we feel unworthy of God’s love, grace and mercy; He still loves us despite it all. For Him to send His only Son to die is proof of that love. Remembering that, we should go and sin no more.