The God Who Desires to Meet Us: Uncovering the Truth
“Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea 6:2-3
Have you ever felt like you were in a dry land? That your soul longed for more of God. To know Him more, to experience His divine presence. Or to simply be held like a child in His loving arms
Perhaps you can identify with the Psalmist, who cried out to the Lord, stating,
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalm 42:2-3).
I have been there too. Amid a seemingly dry season, there exists within the soul an ache for the presence of God. To know Him more, to experience His comfort. To dwell within His truth.
Maybe you had just experienced heartbreak and longed to be comforted by God. Perhaps you feel like you are in a rut and are struggling to experience the presence of God like you once had. Or maybe you had once believed a long time ago but now view God as angry and distant. Maybe you long for revival yet still find yourself in a desert place.
Wherever you may find yourself, there is a promise you can take hold of.
God wants to be close. If you seek the Lord, He will come to you.
Scripture paints us a picture of the desire of God. We see this truth uncovered profoundly in the book of Hosea, as we catch a glimpse of a God who powerfully loves His people: the nation of Israel, despite their apparent shortcomings. Though they were dearly honored and handpicked by Him, the Israelites had forgotten the God they served.
They had willingly adulterated themselves with other idols, engaging in practices that were in defiance of their relationship with the living God and utterly horrific in practice (Hosea 4:14). They were blessed by the Lord exceedingly, filled with material provisions in which they squandered on their adulterous ways (Hosea 2:8). They even took it upon themselves to fuse YHWH’s name with the idol Baal (Hosea 2:16).
Yet, God held out His hand and encouraged their hearts with the hope of redemption. When they cried, the Lord answered. There was an apparent recognition that they must press on to pursue the living God and an accompanying assurance that He would meet them right where they were.
Scripture states:
“As surely as the sun rises, he will appear he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3).
He would not leave them in a desert place but would come to them.
This is the God they served.
And this is our Father now. He longs to be in an active relationship with us. If the human soul knows what it feels like to long for the one we love dearly, how much more does the one who formed the human heart desire to be in a relationship with His children? And not just one which half-heartily sustains you throughout your days. Rather, one which is filled with abundant life, full of beauty and wonder.
Just as a couple in love eagerly desires to be reconciled with one another, I refuse to believe that God, the very One who formed the human heart, desires anything less. He desires to be close to His creation. He used the illustration of a child, friend, and beloved in the Old Testament to make it clear just how much He delights and loves His creation. Not out of obligation but out of choice.
Being human means simply being reconciled to the living God. Our purpose is found in the communing of Him who first sought us. We do not serve a God who is distant or apathetic to our human longing, but one who emphasizes with us and longs to pour out His presence among those who earnestly seek Him. (Jer. 29:13).
So what do you do as we wait on the Lord? How do we, practically speaking, take hold of these promises even when we don’t feel like it?
Fix Your Gaze
Raise your head and look towards your heavenly Father.
But what does this mean? Spending time learning the truth of who He is and who He says we are, which is not altered by how we may be feeling at a particular moment. Pray. Read the Scriptures. Spend time dwelling with the Lord, and I promise He will meet you.
The Lord could be right there near us, but if we are not acknowledging His presence, He may feel far. Spend time with Him, and learn to listen to His voice. Delight in Him.
Grow in Faith
Faith is required to believe the truth, that despite what you may be feeling, whether you are feeling forgotten or alone, God still desires to draw you near.
Faith is not an emotional encounter but a decision of the will.
Christian Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard states:
“Faith is, therefore, is not an aesthetic emotion but something far higher” (A Kierkegaard Anthology, Fear and Trembling, pg. 126).
Faith is believing that the Lord will come near to those who seek Him. But the seeking involves a choice in which one puts themselves in a position to listen. Choose to believe that the Lord will come to you.
“Seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. (Jer. 29:13).
Decide as to what you truly believe based on the Word of God and stand accordingly.
Put Yourself in a Position to Hear from the Lord
Many of us say that we can’t feel the Lord’s presence, but there follows a primary question. Are you putting yourself in a position to listen?
Are you spending time with Him? Like any human relationship, you can’t expect to hear the person if you’re not taking the time to spend in their presence.
Are you living a life in obedience to God or going with whatever makes you feel better? Are you seeking the Lord by reading the Bible? Are you quenching the Holy Spirit in your life and waiting expectantly for him to guide you?
He is faithful to meet you there. Seek His face, and rest assured that He who is faithful will meet you exactly where you are today.
Blessings,
