For thus saith the Lord of Hosts, yet once a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the Desire of All Nations will come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. Haggai 2:6-7 [KJV]
When I was a little girl, one of my mother’s favorite Psalms was in chapter 37, verse 4: Delight thyself also in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. In my 5-year-old brain, that verse meant: “Love Jesus, and He’ll give you what you want.” It took years for me to begin to understand that this verse was probably not talking about “getting” material things.
This Christmastide, what does your soul desire? At times, my answer to that question is more like an endless laundry list than one specific thing. I asked that question of Alan, and he gave me a three-pronged answer. For his church, Alan desires a passion for recruiting young new members – not casually or randomly, but utilizing a “full court press,” as he called it. For his family, Alan wishes them progress in their journey of faith, and good health. For himself, he desires clarity on the treatment options/choices for his liver disease. Heartfelt desires! Haggai emphatically states that the One to come would be the Desire – not just of one man or woman, but the encapsulation of the yearnings of an entire universe – the Desire of All Nations. No one on earth can grant Alan his Christmas wishes. Only through the greatest Gift ever given to mankind can these desires become reality.
Jesu, Joy of man’s desiring,
Holy wisdom, love most bright.
Drawn by Thee, our souls aspiring
Soar to uncreated light.
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