The Desire: A Better Country

As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. (Psalm 42:1)

What do you long for? What is the desire of your heart? If you achieve your goals pertaining to this life, will you be satisfied? Jesus Christ asked similar questions many years ago, and even challenged a rich young ruler to choose between his riches, or to follow Jesus. The young man went away sad because he was very rich (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Matthew 19:21).

King David wrote many Psalms about his desire: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:2). And again David said, “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). David had the right attitude and focus in life. His desire was to see the God of his salvation.

What is your desire? Do you long to be in the presence of the Creator of heaven and earth? In Colossians 3:2 Paul says to set your thoughts on the things of heaven, not on earthly things. Before we believed the good news, we were strangers and aliens to God’s household. After we believed the good news of the kingdom of God, we became citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20); now, we are strangers and aliens on earth (Colossians 1:21–23; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2: 11). Why should we over exert ourselves to build our castles on earth, when we have so much more to look forward to in heaven?

Jesus warned us not to build up treasures on earth, because that is where we will set our affections. Instead, we should be building treasures in heaven by using our assets in the effort of bringing many more worshippers to Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:19–21; Luke 12:33–34; 16:9; John 4:23–24). Again—what do you desire, and for what purpose do you desire it? In Hebrews 11:16, concerning the men of old who lived for God by faith, we read, “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”