Yearning, a deep and intense longing or desire, is a theme that resonates throughout the Bible, reflecting the human soul's innate desire for God, righteousness, and fulfillment. This profound longing is often depicted in the Scriptures as a spiritual hunger or thirst, a metaphor for the soul's pursuit of divine connection and purpose.

Yearning for God

The Psalms frequently express a deep yearning for God, portraying the psalmist's desire for communion with the Divine. In Psalm 42:1-2 , the psalmist writes, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?" This imagery of a deer panting for water captures the intensity of the soul's desire for God's presence, emphasizing the necessity of spiritual sustenance.

Similarly, Psalm 63:1 states, "O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You, my body yearns for You, in a dry and weary land without water." Here, the psalmist's yearning is portrayed as a physical and spiritual need, underscoring the essential nature of a relationship with God.

Yearning for Righteousness

Yearning is also associated with a desire for righteousness and justice. In the Beatitudes, Jesus speaks to this longing: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). This beatitude highlights the promise that those who earnestly seek righteousness will find satisfaction, suggesting that God honors and fulfills the deep desires of the heart for moral and spiritual integrity.

Yearning for Redemption and Restoration

The prophets often express a yearning for redemption and the restoration of Israel. In Isaiah 26:8-9 , the prophet declares, "Yes, in the path of Your judgments, O LORD, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our souls. My soul yearns for You in the night; my spirit within me diligently seeks You." This passage reflects a collective longing for God's intervention and the fulfillment of His promises, a theme that resonates with the hope for messianic deliverance.

Yearning in the New Testament

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul articulates a yearning for spiritual growth and the ultimate redemption of creation. In Romans 8:22-23 , he writes, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." This passage captures the universal longing for the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, a yearning that encompasses both personal and cosmic dimensions.

Yearning for Christ's Return

The early Christians also yearned for the return of Christ, a hope that is vividly expressed in the closing words of the Bible. Revelation 22:20 records the plea, "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" This yearning for the Second Coming reflects the anticipation of the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises and the establishment of His eternal kingdom.

In summary, yearning in the biblical context is a multifaceted longing that encompasses a desire for God's presence, righteousness, redemption, and the consummation of His divine plan. It is a testament to the deep spiritual hunger that characterizes the human experience and the hope for divine fulfillment.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Yearn.1974. epipothia -- longing
... Cognate: 1974 -- earnest (yearning) affection. See 1971 (). Word Origin from epipotheo
Definition longing NASB Word Usage longing (1). great desire. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1974.htm - 6k

2442. himeiromai -- be affectionately desirous.
... be affectionately desirous. Middle voice from himeros (a yearning; of uncertain
affinity); to long for -- be affectionately desirous. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2442.htm - 6k

1972. epipothesis -- longing
... Cognate: 1972 -- earnest (yearning) affection. See 1971 (). Word Origin from epipotheo
Definition longing NASB Word Usage longing (2). earnest desire. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1972.htm - 6k

Jesus is God, Following us Up.
... The great crowd in every part of the world is yearning after Him: piteously,
pathetically, most often speechlessly yearning, blindly groping along, with an ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/jesus is god following us.htm

He Then Wonderfully Displays the Eternal Life, which is Christ, to ...
... overleaping all sensible and intellectual existence, cannot stop even at the generation
of the Son, but speeds beyond even this in its yearning for eternal life ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 2 he then wonderfully.htm

Brorson's Swan-Song
... His trials engendered in him, however, an intense yearning for release, especially
during his later years. ... O Holy Ghost, my spirit. With yearning longs to see. ...
/.../aaberg/hymns and hymnwriters of denmark/chapter ten brorsons swan-song.htm

Tent and Building
... We know that there is a house, because of the yearning, which is deepest and strongest
when we are nearest God, and likest what He would have us to be"the ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/tent and building.htm

Victory Found
... From that time there grew up in my heart a deep yearning to know Christ in a more
real way, for he seemed so unreal, so far away and visionary. ...
/.../goforth/how i know god answers prayer/x victory found.htm

Who's There?
... these peoples, as one comes into close enough touch to find their hearts, there
can be found underneath the inarticulate, inexpressible yearning for something ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks with world winners/whos there.htm

Somebody's Knocking at the Door.
... It is a mute yearning of his heart for God, though often he doesn't think of it
that way. But it is there; for these two, man and God, belong together. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/somebodys knocking at the door.htm

Of an Eternal Hunger for God
... desire its fulfilment. Behold, here there begins an eternal craving and
continual yearning in eternal insatiableness. All such are ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter liii of an eternal.htm

Showing How Christ Has Given Himself to all in Common in the ...
... We shall mark and behold how Christ inclines Himself towards us with loving affection,
with great desire, and with yearning delight, and with a warm and tender ...
/.../the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter xlvii showing how christ.htm

Of Sensible Love
... This yearning love, and this sensible fruition of the heart, none can have
save he who is inward of heart. Sensible love is a yearning ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter xi of sensible love.htm

Yearning (3 Occurrences)
... n.) of Yearn. Multi-Version Concordance Yearning (3 Occurrences). ... the yearning of
your heart and your compassion is restrained toward me. (WEB JPS ASV RSV). ...
/y/yearning.htm - 7k

Yearneth (2 Occurrences)

/y/yearneth.htm - 7k

Yearnings (1 Occurrence)

/y/yearnings.htm - 6k

Love (703 Occurrences)
... this moment too cold a word, as though his Lord were keeping him at a distance,
or at least not inviting him to draw near, as in the passionate yearning of his ...
/l/love.htm - 65k

Gnosticism
... more complete on the hitherto rather neglected side of theoretical knowledge; it
was an attempt of the mind of the ancient world in its yearning after knowledge ...
/g/gnosticism.htm - 38k

Wait (223 Occurrences)
... It describes an eager anticipation and yearning for the revelation of truth
and love as it is in the Father. Thus: "My soul, wait thou.... ...
/w/wait.htm - 41k

Wish (141 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To have a desire or yearning; to long;
to hanker. 2. (vt) To desire; to long for; to hanker after ...
/w/wish.htm - 36k

Fond (6 Occurrences)
... 5. (superl.) Loving; much pleased; affectionately regardful, indulgent, or desirous;
longing or yearning; -- followed by of (formerly also by on). ...
/f/fond.htm - 8k

Compassion (145 Occurrences)
... 111:4; 112:04:00; 145:8), is rendered by the American Standard Revised Version
"merciful." We have splagchnizomai, "to have the bowels yearning," in Matthew 9 ...
/c/compassion.htm - 42k

Compassions (17 Occurrences)
... zeal and thy mighty acts? the yearning of thy heart and thy compassions
are restrained toward me. (ASV JPS). Lamentations 3:22 It ...
/c/compassions.htm - 11k

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Yearning: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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