What Do You Long For?
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- in Books, Church, Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Life
After a few hours of restless sleep, I finally got up for awhile and read a portion of Conformed to His Image by Kenneth Boa. I was reading through a chapter on motivation and came across this wonderful quote, written by Julian of Norwich in her Revelations of Divine Love. She speaks of the importance of having an intense longing for God. The following was written six hundred years ago:
At the same moment the Trinity filled me full of heartfelt joy, and I knew that all eternity was like this for those who attain heaven. For the Trinity is God, and God the Trinity; the Trinity is our maker and keeper, our eternal lover, joy and bliss–all through our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . We have got to realize the littleness of creation and to see it for the nothing that it is before we can love and possess God who is uncreated. This is the reason why we have no ease of heart or soul, for we are seeking our rest in trivial things which cannot satisfy, and not seeking to know God, almighty, all-wise, all-good. He is true rest. It is His will that we should know Him, and His pleasure that we should rest in Him. Nothing less will satisfy us. . . . We shall never cease wanting and longing until we possess Him in fullness and joy. Then we shall have no further wants. Meanwhile His will is that we go on knowing and loving until we are perfected in heaven. . . . The more clearly the soul sees the blessed face by grace and love, the more it longs to see it in its fullness. (cited in Boa, Conformed to His Image, p. 148)
What a wonderful quote! I read these lines several times. I came away from this paragraph thinking, "May I not seek satisfaction in trivial things which cannot satisfy." Perhaps you connect with these thoughts as well.
This may sound at first like I’m dumping cold water on this beautiful truth. That is not my intention. However there is one line that troubles me: "We have got to realize the littleness of creation…". If an inordinate love of material things, what we call today "materialism" is meant, then I agree. But if this is a whiff of the Greek disdain for the material world that so influenced Marcion, then I would be careful. The mystics of all ages have frequently strayed in this area. As much as I appreciate and try to practice Christian meditation as defined in Scripture, I believe anything that suggests God’s creation, in it’s original perfection, is anti-spirit will be spiritually defeating. For God is known by his benefits. The Psalmist clearly make this distinction when praise God as Creator and Redeemer. Such songs as How Great Thou Art, with their emphasis on God’s glory and presence in creation repeat this truth. Nor am I suggesting we hold to a natural theology of revelation. I fully believe in a theology of the cross over and against a theology of glory. But with this qualification, I believe we should let our hearts break with the longing they have for God and that our shame is often found in the trivial pursuits we use to replace that longing.
Jan– I don’t hear you dumping cold water at all. No problem. It is always good to really think through whatever you read wherever it is.What I especially appreciate about your comment is that after you express your reservation, you then affirm the point of this post. You express this quite well in your last sentence.But with this qualification, I believe we should let our hearts break
with the longing they have for God and that our shame is often found in
the trivial pursuits we use to replace that longing. Thanks
Yes, Jesus Christ is enough! I want Jesus more than anything this world has to offer me. When I have Him, I have victory, power, love, grace and so on! More of Him and less of me is my prayer – though I may be whining at times through this process.
These words are incredibly timely. Thanks.
Truly an awesome quote!!! It’s all about knowing Him and knowing Him more. Unless that is our desire, all we have is hum-drum religion.God bless,Terry Michaelswww.strategicbookpublishing.com/ThatIMayKnowYou.html
Thanks Karin. A very important prayer.
Michelle, I am glad these words were fitting and timely for you. Thanks for your feedback.
Terry,Thanks very much for your comment. You are so right regarding "desire."