The Simplicity of Longing for God

My friend Dave Paul will be excited to know that I'm diving in to A.W. Tozer's classic "The Pursuit of God." It's one of those books that is in the vein of C.S. Lewis' nonfiction writings, where you have to read and re-read before you get what is really being said. Tozer was deeply influenced by reading the mystics, who lived centuries ago and spoke often of experiences of deep communion with God.

In the first chapter of the book, he is saddenned by the complacency in the hearts of Christians in the modern world when it comes to knowing God, communining with Him, and desiring Him. Specifically, he seems to go after something I can really relate to in my past--instead of knowing God, seeking Him, I've spent years learning about Him, but somehow neglecting knowing Him in it. I mean, I know God. I surrendered my life to him as a young kid, but surrender is a daily activity. Somewhere I theological studies, the truth ceased to be transformational as I got mired down.

Our pastor Mike preached a sermon on temptation this morning. He basically walked through the teaching of James 1, how temptation works. As he was talking I reflected on how evil has been described as a parasite on good (Augustine?). As Mike said, Desire is God-given. Tozer points to that as well. Without desire, we would not pursue God. Tozer often called this desire a "Burning heart"; those people who long for God deeply in the core of their being, are "Children of the Burning Heart."

In my life, temptation draws me toward lesser things. Even though I know in my head that God is all love, all-satisfying, all-consuming, the pure desire that is deep within meant for Him, gets infected by evil. In temptation, God-given desire is twisted, mis-directed toward something that ultimately leads me away from God. Thus, if I give in, I "exchange the truth of God for a lie." When I've spent time giving in to temptation, and then keeping myself busy so I don't have to sit in guilt, I get complacent in my pursuit. I'll leave you with a couple quotes from Tozer:

"I want deliberately to encourage this mighty longing after God. The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate. The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire. Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He waits to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain."

And his closing prayer from chapter 1:

"O God, I have tasted your goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully aware of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want You, I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Your glory, I pray, so that I may know You indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.' Then give me grace to rise and follow You up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus name, Amen."