Consumed With Longing
“My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.”
Obsession with anything begins with one little experience. The most radical Bengals fan can look back to their first game, the first player they knew the name of, the first win, the first team mercy they bought, and so on. These first were followed by more engagement with the franchise until, for some people, thoughts about football consume their lives.
It is the same with the word of God (I mean his written and spoken word). As beautiful and life-giving as it is, we are not instantly filled with longing for it. There will be firsts, followed by experiences, engagements, and encounters that build our hunger for God’s word and deepen our conviction that his word is the truth.
Unlike fandom for your favorite sports team, movies series, artist, or celebrity, obsession with God’s word yields good fruit that lasts. Jesus said in John 15:5, “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit,” and in John 15:7, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
The message of Abiding Daily is not just that you should desire God’s word but that you get to be consumed with longing for him. We may read a verse like Psalm 119:20 and feel like backing away from the call. Perhaps our experiences with the church have seemed boring, or in some cases, hurtful. Maybe we want to follow Jesus, but from a safe distance. It is much easier to touch base with God every morning through a devotional than to allow longing for his rules to consume us.
Yet there is nothing more fitting to fill our thought life than careful consideration of the ways of the Lord. His rules guide us and reveal how his design works in our world. They are not rigid limitations but gracious and perfect guidances that open up endless possibilities about the life of freedom, righteousness, and holiness.
As we begin to taste the fruit of following God’s word, we long for more. Even when his word calls us to do things we don’t understand, the Lord is revealed as faithful. We may begin to deeply long to follow his word even at the cost of suffering, loss, and sacrifice. Former attachments, strongholds, and patterns of thinking fall off as we are renewed in the mind of Christ, empowered by his Holy Spirit, and anchored in the love of the Father.
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Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
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Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.
