Longing and Power
Passages (NIV): Psalm 51:10, Philippians 2:13, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 12:9–10, Ephesians 3:20–21
Preacher: Mark Kingston
On Sunday, we looked again at the “economy” of God’s Kingdom. It runs very differently to life here! Here, we get so much of what we need by earning and deserving. But God’s Kingdom runs on giving and receiving. It’s a generosity economy, not a merit economy. Everything is gift. Nothing can be bought. Everything is received freely and then passed on generously! You can’t earn your place in it because Jesus has already paid for everything!
That’s why Jesus lifts up the poor in spirit and little children as our models. They don’t pretend they can provide for themselves or prove their worth. They come with empty hands and hearts full of longing. That’s what faith looks like: coming to God as one who needs Him, not as one who has it all together.
But that doesn’t mean we just ask God for stuff and hope He gives it. What we saw is that God Himself longs for things: for His Kingdom to come, for the world to be healed, for heaven to touch earth. So one of the boldest prayers we can pray is: “God, put Your longings in me. Help me to desire what You desire.”
And when we pray that, something happens. We begin to feel what He feels. We start to see people and situations through His eyes. Maybe we find new compassion for someone we’d stopped noticing, or a deep ache for something broken to be restored. That’s the first gift: His longings planted in us.
But longing isn’t enough on its own. The second gift is His power. Because let’s be honest, who actually has the power to do the things God longs for? Who can bring freedom to the addict, reconcile a divided family, or turn hatred into love? Not us. Not human cleverness or effort alone. Only God can do these things. The amazing truth is that he wants to use us in the process - His Spirit working through us. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done”. It’s a cry for God’s power to move, to make things right, to bring His longings to life here and now.
So what does this mean for us?
It means coming to God like a child. Open-handed, uncluttered and honest about our need. It means letting go of the illusion that we’ve got life covered by our own wealth, skill, or control. It means asking Him to fill you with His longings and then asking Him to work His power through you.
And then, stay attentive. Look out for His nudges and when you feel one, take courage to respond, asking for his strength and guidance as you go. And as you receive His good gifts - like peace, joy, hope and provision - look for ways to pass them on. That’s how His Kingdom comes: through ordinary people who live with open hands and open hearts, receiving from God and giving it on to others, again and again.
This is the rhythm of the Kingdom…God’s longings and God’s power, shared with His people to pass on to others. When that happens, heaven begins to break through on earth, one small act of love, one answered prayer, one changed life at a time.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Opening your hands
What “clutter” in your hands or heart might God be inviting you to release, so you can receive more of what He wants to give?
Can you share a time when letting go of something like control, comfort, or plans opened space for God to work in you?
2. Living in God’s generosity economy
Where do you most feel the pull of the world’s “earning and deserving” system, in your work, relationships, or even your faith?
Have you ever experienced God’s generosity breaking through that mindset in a surprising way? Tell that story.
3. Becoming poor in spirit
What does it mean for you to come to God with “empty hands”?
Is there a moment when you were brought to the end of yourself and found God met you there?
4. Receiving God’s longings and power
Have you ever sensed God sharing His heart with you, a longing, a burden, or a compassion for someone or something?
Can you think of a time when you saw His power at work through you or someone else, doing something only He could do?
5. Passing it on
How could you pass on something He’s already given you this week, such as time, encouragement, prayer, kindness, or resources?
Share a story of when you received from someone else’s open hands. How did that shape your understanding of God’s Kingdom?
