deepest desire of god

11 I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. 13 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. Leviticus 26:11-13

We have answers in abundance, answers that seek to “settle things once and for all” and stop the imagination dead in its tracks. What we often lack are good questions, questions that drive us to new and deeper places of intimacy and understanding of who Jesus is and what he means to us.

Here's a good question: What is the deepest desire in the heart of God?

You would expect the answer to such a significant question to echo through the Scriptures again and again. And we would expect to see the same answer written in large letters across Jesus' perfect life.

The Bible's initial response to the question is in Genesis 3. God called out, “Where are you?” He didn't ask because he didn't know where Adam was. His question was an invitation to come take a walk in spite of Adam's disobedience. Though the first man and woman demonstrated their desire to disobey and walk away from God, still he called out, inviting them to come and be with him. One of the deepest desires of God's heart is to be with us.

He knows the answer, yet he calls out this same ancient question to you and me: “Where are you?”

Our original question is answered again and again in the Old Testament. It is behind every institution of the old covenant.

• The purpose of both the tabernacle (Exodus 25) and the temple (1 Kings 6) was to fulfill this desire of God to be with his people.

• The purpose of the law was to fulfill this divine desire as well (Leviticus 26:12).

The incarnation of Jesus provides the final answer to our question, for it is the “enfleshment” of the deepest desire of God's heart. On the cross, his desire became a reality. “Immanuel” perfectly describes who Jesus is— “God with us!”

The final piece of the puzzle is found in Revelation: “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God'” (Revelation 21:3).

The reward for obedience is the gift of God's presence. —Michael Card michaelcard.com

seeking: Jesus, how have you challenged my heart with the knowledge of your love for me—your desire to be with me? How will I show my love for you this day?

responding: What effect does this teaching have on my heart, to hear that God's desire is to be with me? • Can I think of any more echoes of the answer to the question “What is the deepest desire in the heart of God?” • When I think of the person I love the most, isn't my deepest desire to be with him or her?

Immanuel, what more could you have done to make it possible for me to be with you? What greater price could you have paid? If your heart is aching to be with me, then by your Spirit put the same desire in my heart.

following: God desires to share his presence with us.

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