Longing for something we don’t have – it seems to be part of the human condition. Sayings like, ” The grass is always greener….” and ” Keeping up with the Jones.” are evidence that we are often not satisfied with what we have. I sometimes wonder if life would be easier if we could have blinders on that keep us from seeing what others have.
David found himself it quite a disatrous predicament when his longings for Bathsheba led to a deadly web of deception. God was not pleased at all.
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ 2 Sam. 12: 7-10 NIV
It is quite sobering to read that although David repented of his sin and God continued to bless his life, he did not escape the consequences of his sin.
The tension of longing for our heavenly home and living on Earth in our broken bodies is always here. You can’t escape the news. Our world is full of hurt and brokenness. In our own lives we have pain and heartache. Paul puts it like this:
Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less. 2 Cor5:2-5 The Message
That last line is really the key – that longing, that wanting more. It really is our hearts wanting what only God can provide. We can stop looking! Stop trying to fill our lives with other things. Even in our earthly bodies we have a fresh start.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!
I want to start living that way everyday.
Lord, thank you for our life in Christ. May we live in such a way that we look forward to our life in heaven while at the very same time, live a life of freedom and fulfillment in You. May we never settle for less.
Sixty-six books in a year 
Knowing what is to come; that is, being home with Christ and loved ones increases this longing to be gone with every year that passes. Maranatha! Come, O Lord!