Desire Quote by Alister E. McGrath
““We are doomed to remain incomplete in our present existence. Our hopes and deepest longings will remain nothing but just that; Our hopes and longings. This bittersweet tension remains real, even for the Christian who increasingly becomes aware of the wonder of God and the inadequacy of our present grasp of that wonder. There is a sense of postponement, of longing, of wistful yearning, of groaning under the strain of having to tolerate the present when the future offers so much. Perhaps the finest statement of this exquisite agony is found in Augustine s cry, I am groaning with inexpressible groanings on my wanderer s path and remembering Jerusalem with my heart lifted up towards it - Jerusalem my homeland, Jerusalem my mother. We are exiled from our homeland - but its memories haunt us.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology, Alister E. McGrath, 2007
Human longing for ultimate meaning persists, creating a bittersweet tension between present limits and future hope.
In simple terms: We long for something beyond our reach.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the yearning as a guide.
Themes
spiritual yearning
hope
longing
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal prayer
- artistic creation
- academic study
- counseling
Key Concepts
theology
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does your “Jerusalem” represent?
- How can you honor present struggles while hoping for future fulfillment?
A Different Perspective
The tension can cause despair if not balanced with present gratitude.
![“Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three [great teachers] did not tell - they catalyzed a burning desire to know. Under their influence, the horizons sprung wide and fear went away and the unknown became knowable. But most important of…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84c/john-steinbeck-71_art_teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-t_1738.jpg)
