You would call and I would answer (Job 14:15)

The other side of the coin is that God also longed for us as well. In the discourse of Job 14 there is an amazing statement about eternal love in the midst of Job's suffering and hopeless situation. In desperation Job called out to the loving nature of God. 

Job talks about the hope there is for a tree. If it is cut down it will sprout again. Then he laments, when a person is cut down (or dies) there is no chance of coming back to life. Job finds himself wishing for death and the grave to be set free from his suffering. 

Then he makes this most amazing statement: 

"You would call and I would answer,
    and you would yearn for me, your handiwork."

Job's statement is profound because it is well beyond the understanding he would have of the resurrection. Leading up to the captioned Scripture he basically says, a person cannot live after death. Then out comes this claim that because of God's great love for him. Because he is made in the image of God. Because humans are unique in all creation - God would yearn for Job and raise him from the dead. 

Job says if you call me from the grave I will answer. Furthermore, I know you will call because you yearn for fellowship with me more than I desire the same with you. 

This why we talk about helping people find their place in God's great story. God has an intense, eternal longing to be in a deep relationship with every human being.

Discipleship is partnering and cooperating with God as we invite other people to join us on a journey where we discover God's plan for all of us. In the process God's intense love is revealed through us so others join us as disciples of Jesus and then they also engage in making other disciples as we have done with them.