The Longing

Devotional by Cheryl Hall-Laos

As children of God, we find ourselves in a state of limbo - we long for Home! But we are here for a purpose and a set amount of days. We long to live in a face-to-face intimacy with our Savior and our loved ones, where we, like Adam and Eve once did, walk, talk, and fellowship with Him in the garden. But we are here…

We don’t just long for the golden streets and the Crystal Sea, but a home for our hearts to fully be at peace; no more hurting and grieving all that should be, and all that presently is.

Our minds long to set aside all the pressures of living in a fallen world. We know that this isn’t our Home, for nothing brings true satisfaction or rest. The evil of our day weighs us down and wearies us. We know it has an end… we long for that day.

Even relationships long for a day of perfection, where misunderstandings are no more; where love and understanding is guaranteed. No one ever needs to feel self-protective or defensive, shy, or misunderstood. That day of perfect unity is coming.

Our mortal bodies ache under the curse of sin… but they KNOW a new body awaits, where the promise that “we shall be like Him,” brings waves of Hope! Our pain and our taunting mortality is drowned out by His beautiful words - “Behold! I make all things new!”

Driving home from Bible study, my overly tired 5-year-old daughter stated through tears that she “didn’t want to be a vapor.” She was actually listening to some of the preaching in James, that our life is nothing more than a vapor, here today, gone tomorrow… it broke her little heart. Why? Because as God’s creation, made in His Image, we are eternal, immortal, and meant to live forever in perfection, in His glorious presence. Our hearts and minds know it! We long for it! We grieve what our state is now. Our bodies know it. Our spirit knows it. We were made for more, so much more- Perfection! And dear ones, it’s not far away.