There is something huge missing in our Christian living.
Let me share an incident that left a deep impression on me.
In 2019, I went to the US for a business visit. Due to unexpected changes, my return date home was delayed by a month. My family was unprepared for this change, and so was I.
My wife sent screenshots of my eight-year-old daughter’s (her name is Jemima) scribbling on her note. “Pappa, I miss you so much”, and WhatsApp that she was moving around, visibly sad at home. I video-called as soon as I saw the note, “Jemi, I am sorry the work required me to stay here longer. I will come as soon as I can. Do not be sad. What do you want? I will buy anything you want from here. Tell me, Jemi.”
I looked into the phone for her expression. She was thinking.
In her sweet way, she said, “Pappa,… Pappa..” Whenever she says Pappa two times, she says something big. I thought she had decided on a big toy.
She said, “Pappa, I want you… I don’t want anything from the US.”
I was so moved that I was in tears when she said that.
Her pure longing for her unworthy, imperfect father’s company made me ponder.
Do I long for my Perfect Heavenly Father like that? Why am I not longing like that towards God, my perfect Heavenly Father?
I used to wonder why King David is called the man after God’s own heart. You can see the answer in his own words. Look at his Longing & Thirsting. Look at him concluding God’s loving kindness is better than life.
“O God, You are my God,…. My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You; In a dry and thirsty land where is there is no water” (Ps 63:1)
“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You” (Ps 63:3)
I realised that Psalmist David loved God as if He’s a real flesh & blood person.
David missed Him.
He longed for Him.
He sang love songs to Him.
He danced excitedly, praising God.
When he sinned, he cried, repented as if he cheated a real person.
He didn’t reduce God to just a concept or as an emotionless being sitting up above or treated him as a GODFATHER; he would go to for favours. For David, God is a real person who’s loving, just, faithful, infinitely holy, intimately personal, relatable in every way, full of emotions, jealous, passionate, zealous over His people.
He related to God, honestly from the core of his being- as anyone would do to a real person when they are real friends to them! He said he would not do anything for the Lord, which doesn’t cost him. His heart was burning with a desire to build a temple for God, asking how he could live in a palace when the ark is out in the tent.
This lack of knowing God as a person is where we go wrong. We don’t love God as a real person. We think of God as an impersonal being up above who can be treated like a genie with the word of God and prayer. That’s why we don’t long or hunger for Him!
May God correct our wrong understanding and give us the same thirst, same truthfulness and same hunger that David had.
The saints of yesteryears tell from their lives that in our God is such an infinite unexplored, uncharted depths of personal intimacy available for each of God’s children.
Without any pretence or religiosity, let our hearts be stirred to seek the heart of God, loving him as dearly as David did! May we long for Him more than any other thing on earth or heaven! May we become restless till we wholeheartedly pursue Him! Amen!
Much Love in Christ,
Your Brother
Arun
Pursuing Holiness