God Craves You

God Craves You!

“What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are.” – 1 John 3:1 MSG


“I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” – Romans 8:38 MSG


Intro:

They say we all lose 21 grams at the exact moment of our death… everyone. The weight of a stack of nickels, the weight of a chocolate bar, the weight of a hummingbird. At the moment of death, we grow 21 grams lighter – our life, our human spirit, our very soul leaves this mere flesh and blood.

See, beyond my flesh, beyond my mind, beyond my heart, there seems to be a place where my deepest and most powerful cravings lie. And they do not lie silently. My soul, it seems, always desires and demands, and no matter how I try to satisfy it, it always craves more. More of this God that is my Creator, my Savior, my Abba Father.

It may be hard to accept, but you are the object of God’s love. You were created out of love by him, and though you may not yet realize it, your soul longs to know this love. You are the object of His craving.


Part I

So often, we describe this love, this craving, as something so thin and without substance that pretty much anything qualifies as love. If we really know love, if we knew deep, profound, unending love, maybe we wouldn’t love chocolate. While I’m sure God appreciates all these things, after all, he is the Creator of all that is good and perfect, creation is not the object of His affection. When it comes to love, you exist in a unique category. You are unique and irreplaceable. You are the object of God’s love.

In Solomon’s sensual Song of Songs, he describes a lover pursuing the one who has won her heart. He captures the hopelessness that one feels on this desperate search for love.

“Restless in bed and sleepless through the night, I longed for my lover.
I wanted him desperately. His absence was painful.
So I got up, went out and roved the city,
hunting through streets and down alleys.
I wanted my lover in the worst way!
I looked high and low, and didn't find him.
And then the night watchmen found me
as they patrolled the darkened city.
so I asked them, “Have you seen my dear lost love?”

– Song of Songs 3:1-3 MSG

Solomon is describing the desperation that comes when we seem unable to capture the heart of the one we love. I wonder it ever occurs to us that God feels like this. But if God’s love is immeasurable and unending, as the Hebrews describe Him, how deep and profound must be His sense of sorrow and rejection. If anyone knows the pain of a love unreturned, it must be God.

Part II

We talk so much about how God showed this awesome craving for us through His sending His Son for us. But lets look at it in a different light.

A friend of mine met a girl and he fell in love. This innate craving began to form in him for this girl. So he pursued her with his love and pursued her with his love until he felt that his love had finally captured her heart. So he asked her to be his wife and she said no. He was unrelenting and asked her again, and again, and continued to outpour his love for her until she said yes. See, he didn’t send his brother, nor a friend, or anyone else to go for him. For in issues of love, of desire, of craving, you must go yourself.

This is the story of God: He pursues you with His love and pursues you with His love, and you have perhaps not said yes. And even if you reject His love, He pursues you ever still. It was not enough to send an angel or a prophet or any other, for in issues of love, you must go yourself. And so God has come to us. This is the story of Jesus, that God has walked among us and He pursued us with His love. He is very familiar with rejection but is undeterred. And He is here even now, still pursuing you with His love.

God desires us. He thirsts for us as we do for Him. The closer we get, that thirst will fade, because we are supplied with what we need. God doesn't need us, He wants us. He desires our company, our fellowship, our trust, our love, our safety in Him. He wants, He desires, He longs for, He yearns, He CRAVES. He gave us a calling. He wants us to fulfill it. He doesn't need us. He doesn't need anything. He can have it all with just a thought. But, He chose us. He craves us. I'm wanted by the King of Kings

He wants us to want Him as much as He wants us. He wants us to seek Him. He wants us to find, to spread, and bring more to Him to want Him like He wants us. We are His. He is ours. An honor above all honors. To be craved by the King of Kings.


(notes and ideas taken from author as well as Kat Cherry and Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus)