God created us with a deep longing to belong. A need for a place to call home. A place of total love and rest. A greater place where all our longings are fulfilled.
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Proverbs 9:12
"A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but fool detest turning from evil." Proverbs 9:19
This longing is an itch unscratchable. An apple unreachable. A goal unattainable. A joy unexperienceable. A rest unrestful. A home not quite perfect and its all part of Gods plan.
Why? Because He has given us a longing for our eternal home. An eternal rest. An eternal joy. He has set eternity in the hearts of men. (Ecc.3:11)
We constantly work for, strive for, run after, seek after, and long for something better. Something greater. However, we sabotage any rest or fulfillment He may give along the way, because we 'detest turning from evil'.
We don't like stopping the gaining.
We don't like resting from the wanting more.
We don't like turning from our own plans.
Anything short of what He has prepared for us, will not completely fill. Will not completely satisfy. Will not bring complete, lasting rest.
Yes, we can experience fleeting moments of fulfillment on this side of heaven. We can experience to a small degree, just a very short moment, a longing fulfilled. I believe God allows these moments because they refresh us. They breathe life into us. They remind us of greater things.
A while ago, as I sat in my mothers house, sipping a cup of coffee, smelling the smells, hearing the sounds, seeing the sights of my childhood, I found a moment of complete rest. Just for one second there was nothing but the longing for the perfect home completely filled.
One second that took my breath away.
One second that gave me breath.
One second of complete fulfillment.
No, it wasn't because my mother's home is perfect. It was because for just one second God allowed me to experience one little life giving drop of heaven. That little drop of heaven gave me the courage and the strength it took to look life straight in the face and say,
"Bring it!"
Those little drops of heaven are never planned. Just a spontaneous, fleeting, yet perfectly timed moment that God allows us to experience to encourage our good fight.
We will never experience more than just little drops of heaven on this earth. Just like a few stray sprinkles before a rain shower, we get just a few sprinkles of heaven to remind us, encourage us, strengthen us... until one day we will experience an all out down pour of heaven. Then we will be showered, soaked, immersed, flooded, completely engulfed in His love, acceptance and rest forever!
Then, and only then, will our longings be completely, totally, wholly, entirely, 100%, all the way,....perfectly filled.
Hallelujah!!!
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