Dare We Ask?

God has created us with deep longing….its part of the package; part of our design. Dee reminds us of Jacob’s wrestling…longing for encounter for meaning, for a blessing. He will not let go or give up. While it is true that God is all mystery and cannot be contained or quantified, I believe the intimacy of covenant gives us permission to turn into our longing and wrestle or wait for the Holy to meet us. This is not a “quid pro quo” relationship, but it is part of the covenant of our baptism. It is the gift of being engrafted onto the True Vine of Jesus and Israel’s covenant. It is our inheritance.

In life, in ministry, in prayer, I believe the essence often times if some sort of longing. Much of our work is to discern honestly what that is and bring it into the light of God’s love as offering, gratitude, confession, intercession for others or the desire for mercy.

So what if the Risen Jesus came to you today and asked,
“What are you longing for?”
How would you answer?

I have to sift down past the Miss America answer of “world peace” and past the three wishes from the genie in the lamp and see what is at the heart of my desire, anger and attachments. What is it that I long for? What is it that you long for?

And then, trusting the covenant,
I hope to have the courage to ask, listen and wait…
“God, what is it that you long for?”

-Julie