Have you ever been in love? Like just gotta be with them, can’t get enough love? Have you ever been separated from the one you love?
Do you know that feeling—that feeling that wells up inside your chest like a volcano bulges the Earth’s crust before it erupts?
There’s this pining deep inside of us. It’s an angst, a frustration almost, a busy-bee feeling of empty and full to the point of breaking, all at the same time.
I just want so badly to be with you, but I can’t.
It doesn’t have to be a romantic love. We can feel that way about a parent, a child, a sibling, or friend.
You’ll never feel more in love than when you’re away. Never is your heart more full for that person, and yet at the same time so empty. The pulling and warring of empty and full—you can feel it in your chest.
Do you ever feel that way for Jesus?
Some mornings, I am particularly struck by a longing for the full revelation of the Lord.
Oh how I long to be with him, to see His face! To know, to really know, that He is right there. To be held by Him, to feel His arms around me. I pine for the waiting to be over. How long Lord will we run this race?
This morning I literally cried in my yearning to be face to face with the Lord.
I know that Paul felt this way. He once said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” (Philippians 1:21-24)
He explained his angst differently in 1 Corinthians 13:12. Talking about the whole and complete love of God that will be revealed, he said, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
Thank God for the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which He sends to us and Whom we can experience in the here and now! Without the Holy Spirit I would be completely lost.
But nonetheless we still live in this tension of our limited human experience and what is to come.
Revelation 22 promises us that “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
Can you imagine? I can not! To see the face of God… To have his radiance shine upon us on the new Earth and to be our continual light. Can you imagine?
I asked the subscribers to the School of Kingdom Writers newsletter to share some encouragement with me. (Subscribe here if you’re not getting it.) I wanted to know how they connect with Jesus. How do you experience more of him in your time on the Earth?
Evie A. told me, “As for my way of connecting with God, I have been practicing listening for God. When I used to listen for Him, I would wait to hear what He wanted to tell me, and that was it. Lately, I have been opening myself to listen for ways that I can worship Him. For example, if I am sitting in silence and something comes to mind that has been a blessing, I take time to thank Him for the blessing, and then continue to listen. For me, I have been realizing more and more that, as Christians, we are here to praise God, worship Him, and bring Him glory. Nothing else really matters. I have been so caught up in trying to get messages from Him concerning my life, that I haven’t been as concerned with worshipping Him for all the awesome things He has done for me. So, I’ve been turning my mind toward an attitude of worship, trying to give love and praise rather than just seeking guidance and direction.”
Lindsey K. said, “I connect with Jesus by writing in my journal. Sometimes He uses what I’ve written in the past to speak to me in the present.“
Jenni M shared with me, “So many ways, but the two that stand out to me right now are when I hid in my closet, closed the door, and just sat there in silence. Warmth and peace and comfort absolutely overwhelmed me. Then, while writing, just overflowing with the joy of words and exploring a dark subject and how in a week where it shouldn’t be possible He’s given me the ability to write tens of thousands of words and THEN to praise Him for it before unbelievers who I dearly love. I was reading in Genesis yesterday, where Abraham buys the field for Sarah’s burial, and it hit me that the first measure of the promise fulfilled—of owning that expanse of land—came because Abraham’s beloved wife died. He works ALL things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. “
Sue J. said, “I experience the Lord most profoundly when in my prayer closet which I call my “secret place” with the Lord. I simply am still and want to spend time with him and hear what’s on his heart. It is when I give myself to these still and intimate times with the Lord that I feel his presence most closely and hear his heart most clearly.”
And there were more, too! Thank you to everyone who took the time to share this encouragement with me.
Here’s the thing: I know that the Lord is not absent. The veil is on our end. On my end at least, I won’t speak for you. 😊 In the seeking, we can break through that veil, and little by little experience more of the Lord.
This morning I was worshipping and singing “Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here” by Jesus Culture. I love this line, “Let us become more aware of your presence.” I love that reality. Sometimes we pray “Holy Spirit, come,” when the Holy Spirit is already there! It’s us who need to change to experience his omnipresence.
I know that I am blessed to want the Lord so. My heart did not always feel that way. The more I let God define himself, the more I know Him for who He really is, the more I love Him. The more I long for him.
How do you connect with the Lord during this time we spend on the Earth? Where do you feel closest to him? Are there any places, communities, stories, or activities that help you to experience more of God’s fullness? Please share in the comments. I’m excited to hear how you experience the Lord.
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