Today the words to an old hymn have been on my mind.
I need thee every hour, O precious Lord.

But need and longing are not the same, and God wants to be wanted.
He waits to be wanted.
Not for what He can do for us, or give to us, but to be wanted only for Himself.

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Psalm 42:1-2

“God loves to be longed for, He loves to be sought,
For He sought us Himself with such longing and love;
He died for desire of us, marvelous thought!
And He longs for us now to be with Him above.”
Frederick Faber

Ardent is an word we don’t use any longer.
The literal definition is enthusiastic or passionate, but it’s archaic meaning is burning and glowing.

It’s the perfect description of the love God yearns for us to feel for Him.

When we don’t it’s not because He isn’t worthy of it.
Either we’re suffering from ignorance of His beauty and majesty, or we’ve let our hearts grow cold to the God of the universe.

David wrote about his thirst for God.
Thirst, a physical yearning that grows into a driving, all consuming urge relentless until satisfied.

Does this describe my love? Yours?
That’s our greatest need.
To rekindle the fire of passion for God Himself.

That alone would transform our Christian lives.
I doubt we have to learn more, or do more.

What we need is to feel more.
Your desire for God is in proportion to you thoughts about Him.

Think of His beauty, majesty, and those things that can only be described as divine.

Nothing is unknown to Him.
Nowhere is unoccupied by Him.
Nothing is impossible for Him.

And how it felt to hear of His love for you.
The way His forgiveness made you clean and His love made you welcome.
His holiness as He showed us the Father.

And all He’s made and given.
The most glorious sunset you’ve ever seen was painted by Him.
Every beauty of the earth, an ocean, or a flower was crafted by Him.
The sweetest peach and the most crisp apple you’ve ever enjoyed are His design for your delight.
The wonder of new born child and the pleasure of married love are His gifts as well.

Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Exodus 15:11

There is none like Him.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnhUh2tt97Q?rel=0&w=853&h=480]