Reciprocal Longing

A few years ago, I wrote a short book on God’s desire to be with us called The Heart of Scripture. In essence, the point of the book is this: God longs to be with us and this desire is expressed from the first book of the Bible to the last.

Recently, I found more data along these lines in a book I was not looking forward to reading. The book of Job contains long conversations between Job and his friends, but these conversations have never been especially interesting to me. This time, however, I read several chapters at a time and it greatly improved my reading experience. I know it’s common to read a chapter a day, but some books need a different approach, and I think Job is one of them. We need to experience the back-and-forth discussion to really get into Job. Anyway, I digress.

In chapter 14, Job says:

You will call and I will answer you;
    you will long for the creature your hands have made. (14:15)

We are God’s creatures and he will long for us, even after we have died. (The previous verse mentions death.) This corresponds with a statement in the New Testament:

 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? (Jam 4:5)

It also connects with divine jealousy expressed in the prophets. For example: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her’” (Zech 8:2).

For those who reject God, this may be an offensive or even terrifying thought. But for those who love God, God’s desire for us is our hope and security. He will not abandon us. He will come to us.

How should we respond?

In chapter 19 Job exclaims:

I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me! (v. 27)

God longs for Job and Job yearns for God. The deep desire is reciprocated. And Job’s feelings for God are echoed in the Psalms:

As the deer pants for streams of water,
    so my soul pants for you, my God.
 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
    When can I go and meet with God? (Ps 42:1-2)

And,

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water. (Ps 63:1)

Much more could be added but let me fast-forward to the end of the Bible.

Jesus says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” He is coming because he longs for us. He longs to be with us.

And the author responds with passion: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev 22:20).