Text: John 4.10-15
“It’s what makes you and me human. Longing. Desire. Ache. Yearning. Soul thirst. Heart hunger. Fashioning us in his image, God made us different from animals. Our longing for something greater than mere survival showcases that distinction,” Matt Heard, Life with a Capital L, page 23.
Our longings are an intrinsic part of being human. They’re hard-wired into us by God. Though we differ on which one we value most, everyone experiences longings for significance, goodness, security, peace, purpose, and love. And, our longings drive our lives, motivating each decision we make. The danger is, we often operate unaware of our longings and deeper motivations.
In John 4 Jesus exposes the Samaritan woman to the longings driving her life, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of living water, welling up to eternal life” (John 4.13-14).Jesus is essentially saying, “Your physical thirst will never be satisfied, but if you trust in me, your heart thirst can be eternally satisfied.”
Our longings are meant to point us to God. Our security, identity, peace, and purpose are most fully satisfied when we are looking to God as the answer.Today, consider what longings you have and identify the two or three most significant ones. Ask God to help you trust him with each of those longings as he becomes in you a “spring of living water welling up to eternal life” (John 4.14b).
