What We Crave

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

“What a person desires is unfailing love…
The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,
    but one who has insight draws them out.”

“A person may think their own ways are right,
    but the Lord weighs the heart.” Proverbs 19:21-22a,23; 20:5; 21:2

“I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 49:3-7

“The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing...
At that time I will deal
    with all who oppressed you.
I will rescue the lame;
    I will gather the exiles.
I will give them praise and honor
    in every land where they have suffered shame.
At that time I will gather you;
    at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise
    among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes
    before your very eyes,’
says the Lord.” Zephaniah 3:17,19-20

We are designed to long to be cherished, bearing both the image of Infinite God and the flesh of temporal man. In our minds are many plans, in our heart is deep yearning and purpose. It is the Lord our Maker who made and weighs and understands what we can feel with passion but be unable to articulate or express with words. He is both Maker and Lover of our souls. (Genesis 1:26-27; Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Yet, we crave many other things, objects, stuff, and experiences that fail to satisfy inner longing. We eat and drink, buy and collect, tease loneliness and medicate hurt, but living still rings hollow. Bitter wounds lie open, misdirected passion turns stale, unrequited love grows cold. We attempt to placate, soothe, and satiate with all the wrong material and methods, to no lasting avail.

But turning our eyes and hopes to the Lord, we can rest in peace knowing that we are deeply loved, that our identity and value bears a divine imprint. He treasures us more than we can even imagine. We can also be God’s instruments in communicating this eternal worth to others.

Would we fix our security in God’s love and affection for us? Only He fulfills. And what care will we invest, what patience and selfless love will we expend, to draw out another’s deepest longings, then build them up in God-given purpose? (Colossians 4:17; 2 Timothy 1:6)

Jesus, satisfy my every craving in Thee alone.