A Longing in Stone
"I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."
Deuteronomy 34:4
Deuteronomy 34:4
“Ah,
every pier is a longing in stone!” says a line in Fernando Pessoa’s
Portuguese poem “Ode Marítima.” Pessoa’s pier represents the emotions we
feel as a ship moves slowly away from us. The vessel departs but the
pier remains, an enduring monument to hopes and dreams, partings and
yearnings. We ache for what’s lost, and for what we can’t quite reach.
The Portuguese word translated “longing” (saudade) refers to a nostalgic yearning we feel—a deep ache that defies definition. The poet is describing the indescribable.
We might say that Mount Nebo was Moses’s “longing in stone.” From Nebo he gazed into the promised land—a land he would never reach. God’s words to Moses—“I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it” (Deuteronomy 34:4)—might seem harsh. But if that’s all we see, we miss the heart of what’s happening. God is speaking immense comfort to Moses: “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants’” (v. 4). Very soon, Moses would leave Nebo for a land far better than Canaan (v. 5).
Life often finds us standing on the pier. Loved ones depart; hopes fade; dreams die. Amid it all we sense echoes of Eden and hints of heaven. Our longings point us to God. He is the fulfillment we yearn for.
The Portuguese word translated “longing” (saudade) refers to a nostalgic yearning we feel—a deep ache that defies definition. The poet is describing the indescribable.
We might say that Mount Nebo was Moses’s “longing in stone.” From Nebo he gazed into the promised land—a land he would never reach. God’s words to Moses—“I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it” (Deuteronomy 34:4)—might seem harsh. But if that’s all we see, we miss the heart of what’s happening. God is speaking immense comfort to Moses: “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants’” (v. 4). Very soon, Moses would leave Nebo for a land far better than Canaan (v. 5).
Life often finds us standing on the pier. Loved ones depart; hopes fade; dreams die. Amid it all we sense echoes of Eden and hints of heaven. Our longings point us to God. He is the fulfillment we yearn for.
Reflect & Pray
What
are your unfulfilled longings?
What places in life are you trying to satisfy with wrong things?
How can you find true fulfillment in God alone?
What places in life are you trying to satisfy with wrong things?
How can you find true fulfillment in God alone?
"The sweetest
thing in all my life has been the longing—to reach the Mountain,
to find the place where all beauty came from." C. S. Lewis
to find the place where all beauty came from." C. S. Lewis
I long to spend more and more quiet time, just time being still and undisturbed, I long to spend more quality time with those I love- long afternoons sitting on a bench reflecting and sharing about life. I am filling my time with business and that's no way to live- I need to learn to sit in the quiet and being okay not being busy. Finding that true fulfillment in God is being okay with slowing down and and taking time to listen and hear what God has for us. We can't hear him when we get clouded by the busy and overwhelming. I do love the C.S Lewis Quote.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I am thinking back to a scene in a movie from Charlie Chaplin - Modern Times ending (1936) as we watch him with his love walking away and though they have lost everything, they nevertheless bravely put on a smile and we see them walking into the distance. We are not sure what the future will hold for them and there is a big question at the end of the movie. I felt this same way as I had to say goodbye to my mother who was terminally ill and I had to finally finally say goodbye and saw her longingly look at me as I was walking away knowing in her heart that this was probably the last time we would see each other. I can imagine Moses was feeling a heaviness in his heart that he would not be going into the promised land and yet happy that the next generation would be able to enter the land flowing with milk and honey
ReplyDeleteAs one ages, there is the sense that time is limited and our longings become more urgent, or in resignation, grief. Our longings reflect what we think, believe, desire... our innermost being. It is important to be sure that our longings are in line with God's plan for our lives.
ReplyDeleteI cannot help but think of my grandma who is longing to be reunited with my grandpa who passed a few months ago. They were married over 75 years and she, naturally, is struggling to adjust to life without him. She is a faithful Lutheran and knows that grandpa is in heaven and doesn't understand why she is still here. The longing is overcoming her. I continue to pray that she try and enjoy the time she has remaining and that she will have an eternity to spend with grandpa.
ReplyDeleteI long for peace, internal peace and tranquility. I internalize so much of my job, life, and fatherhood. Things that seem to roll off others easily I churn and twist my knotted insides. When talking about "longing" I feel that this is the opposite of contentment. Contentment is trusting and being confident that God has you where He wants you and in the situations that will glorify Him. This is something I try to come to grips with daily to compartmentalize my inner angst and give that to God.
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ReplyDeleteThe first thought that comes to mind is my Grandma's passing a few years back. She lost her son to a drunk driving accidents over 30 years ago. I will never forget my mom telling me that some of my Grandma's final words is that she cannot wait to see her son again. I think about how I live this stressful life and we forget the little things we long for such as reuniting with loved ones whether living or ones we have lost. I try to slow down everyday in my chaotic life to spend time with what it is important Faith and Family.
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