HAVE YOU WONDERED? Human heart longs for God
The Greek philosopher Plato once described human beings as “leaky jars” suggesting that as soon as we think we have finally “filled up” our life with something that will make us content and satisfied, we slowly start to feel empty again.
Why is it that each time we finally get what we thought would make us happy, we soon realize that it doesn’t? We journey through life believing that just beyond the horizon we will finally find that elusive oasis of contentment, only to be disappointed by another mirage when we get there.
Ravi Zacharias comments, “The loneliest moment in life is when you have just experienced what you thought would deliver the ultimate, and it has let you down.” This disillusionment eventually leaves us wondering – “What does make a person truly satisfied, content, fulfilled and happy?”
In every human heart there is a hunger and thirst that nothing on this earth ever seems to satisfy. Augustine (354 – 430 A.D.) once wrote: “You (God) have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.” Augustine, along with millions and millions of others from every nation, language, generation and race, discovered that in Jesus Christ - God in the flesh - we actually can finally find what the human heart has been longing for – contentment, peace, hope, stability, security, freedom, meaning, forgiveness and eternal life. Jesus taught us that he, and he alone can fill the “God shaped void” in our hearts and souls.
To those who were spiritually hungry, Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
To those battling depression, despair, and darkness, Jesus claimed "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) To those who were fearful of death, Jesus boldly proclaimed, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." (John 11:25)
To those desperately searching for some kind of spiritual reality, absolute truth, direction, meaning and value system, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.." (John 14:6) To those weighed down by worry, anxiety, fear, shame and guilt, Jesus invited, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28)
To those who were thirsty to find something more out of life, Jesus stated, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:37-38)
To those who were simply bored, dissatisfied and disillusioned with life, Jesus declared, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Holy Father, help us to cease trying to fill our lives, appetites and longings with the fleeting things of this world. Help us to realize that we can find everything our hearts are longing for in Jesus Christ. In his holy name we pray, Amen!
Russ Whitten is a local minister, writer and musician. His band, The Bonhoeffers, play every week at The Village Door. His book Have You Ever Wondered? is available on Amazon.com.