The Furious Longing of God

In the foreword of Brennan Manning’s book “The Furious Longing of God,” Pastor Mark Batterson writes “If Brennan Manning writes it, I’m going to read it.” You know that is how I feel these days.  As such I have recently started reading this book. I am only 20 pages in, but there is so much in those few pages. Manning starts by telling of a 30 day retreat where he prayed a verse from Song of Solomon every day. The verse was 7:10: 

I am my beloved’s and His desire is for me 

His said his prayer of this verse lead him to believe that God’s desire for us can be best described as a furious longing. That if we through prayer begin to take these words personally a number of beautiful things can come about. These things seemed so appropriate to share at the start of a new year so here they are (these are directly quoted from the book):

1. The drumbeats of doom in your head will be replaced by a song in your heart, which could lead to a twinkle in your eye. 
   
   
2. You will not be dependent on the company of others to ease your loneliness, for He is Emmanuel – God with us. 
   
   
3. The praise of others will not send your spirit soaring, nor will their criticism plunge you into the pit. Their rejection may make you sick, but it will not be a sickness unto death. 
   
   
4. In a significant interior development, you will move from I should pray to I must pray. 
   
   
5. You will live with an awareness that the Father not only loves us, but likes you. 
   
   
6. You will stop comparing yourself with others. In the same way, you will not trumpet your own importance, boast about your victories in the vineyard or feel superior to anyone. 
   
   
7. You will read Zephaniah 3:17-18 and see God dancing for joy because of you. 
   
   
8. Off and on throughout the day, you will just know that you are being seen by
   Jesus with a gaze of infinite tenderness.
   

He closes this section of the book with the statement: "I am a witness to these truths."

How encouraging... 

Grace and Peace!