A: Jesus as an idea is the longing of God. When asked himself who God was, Jesus replied, “God is a Spirit and they who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth” (John 4:24). But when Jesus told the reason for his coming, he said, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Put together, these two verses of scripture seem to indicate that God is a longing Spirit. He yearns after people and longs to have a relationship with them.

Probably the first verse of scripture most people encounter is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world he gave his only son ... ” God seemed to Francis Thompson to be the Hound of Heaven pursuing us as a great and yearning Spirit eager to have a relationship with us. We are so prone to speak of seekers as those who pursue God in search of meaning. But in Jesus we have the yearning God in pursuit of people. In Christ we find that God is not content to let people live and die beyond his circle of love.

On he comes, every pursuing the friendship of human beings. So much that Paul of Tarsus was overwhelmed in the Syrian desert by the Savior whose religion he had set out to destroy.

Augustine felt he was claimed by his ardent and severe mercy.

Pascal agreed that this friendship with Jesus was the answer to longing, that there is a God-shaped vacuum at the heart of all of us. Only God can fill that vacuum.

John Wesley cried out that this pursuing God had strongly warmed his heart.

C.S. Lewis felt this pursuing love and claimed he was “surprised by joy.”

Many of the world’s most notable Christians have felt the chase of this pursuing lover. Jesus follows after them until at last he catches them and the relationship is firm.

The hymnist wrote, “What a friend we have in Jesus.” This simple theme has been established throughout Christendom. Our immense fear of being alone has been answered by the Christ who never demanded the answer to all loneliness. It is this sustaining relationship that Jesus brings to us. The Savior makes our friendship heaven’s agenda.