Experiencing God's Presence #139

Experiencing God's Presence #139

God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

Psalm 53:2, NIV

A good parent notices the hungers of a child’s heart and tries to cultivate the right ones. Is the child hungry only for more possessions, status, and achievements? Or is he or she also hungry for good relationships, wisdom, and love? Good parents want to see desires for truth, fairness, and understanding mixed in with the normal, less noble desires of childhood. When a kid’s priorities are right, parenting is a lot easier and a parent is freed up to focus on benefits rather than discipline.

God looks into our souls to see if we long for understanding and seek Him. He notices the hungers of our hearts and helps us cultivate the right ones. If we’re preoccupied with things that will eventually clutter our hearts or misdirect our steps, He will either frustrate those desires to protect us or satisfy them enough for us to realize how futile they are. Either way, His purpose is to turn us toward all that truly satisfies.

Your hunger is important to God. He understands all the directions your desires take, but when your hunger for His Presence exceeds all others, He satisfies it and is much more willing to satisfy the others, too. The context of Psalm 53 is God’s disappointment that no one seeks Him or understands who He is—or even that He is. But this lament also reveals the positive attitudes He’s looking for. When your longings are first and foremost for Him, He is pleased. And He rewards those longings by fulfilling them.

Lord, all my longings are in You. I know You are the root of every desire I have. I turn my heart toward You and pray for Your fulfillment. May You be pleased with my search for You and fully reward it.