--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there is no deep yearning for a life…" description: "\"If there is no deep yearning for a life that is well pleasing to Him, if there is no stimulating desire to know Him and His Word, church membership is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b47/j-vernon-mcgee-9910_amount_if-there-is-no-deep-yearning-for-a-life_2943190.png" --- # If there is no deep yearning for a life that is well… ![“If there is no deep yearning for a life that is well pleasing to Him, if there is no stimulating desire to know Him and His Word, church membership is just like a young man falling in love with a furnished apartment and marrying an electric stove, a refrigerator, a vacuum cleaner, a garbage…” quote by J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b47/j-vernon-mcgee-9910_amount_if-there-is-no-deep-yearning-for-a-life_2943190.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b47/j-vernon-mcgee-9910_amount_if-there-is-no-deep-yearning-for-a-life_2943190.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b47/j-vernon-mcgee-9910_amount_if-there-is-no-deep-yearning-for-a-life_2943190.png) > “If there is no deep yearning for a life that is well pleasing to Him, if there is no stimulating desire to know Him and His Word, church membership is just like a young man falling in love with a furnished apartment and marrying an electric stove, a refrigerator, a vacuum cleaner, a garbage disposal, and a wet mop! That is just about all it amounts to. Let's stop playing church today and start loving Christ and living for Him!” [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith without deep longing for God reduces church to a superficial commitment to comforts rather than true devotion. **In simple terms:** Shallow faith makes church a habit, not a heart. Key Takeaway Cultivate a genuine desire for God. Themes faith commitment authenticity Mood reflective serious Type inspirational theological When to use this quote - personal prayer - Bible study - community service - mentiritual mentorship Key Concepts spiritual depth personal relationship religious practice Questions to Reflect On - What deepens your longing for God? - How can you move beyond comfort to true devotion? A Different Perspective Faith can be challenged by cultural pressures to prioritize comfort over conviction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amount/) [Apartment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartment/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christ Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-living-825707/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church membership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-membership/) [Church today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-today/) [Cleaners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleaners/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Electric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electric/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Falling in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-in-love/) [Garbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garbage/) [Garbage disposal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garbage-disposal/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Loving Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving-christ-2666306/) [Marrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marrying/) [Membership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/membership/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Playing Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-church-2052636/) [Refrigerators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refrigerators/) [Stoves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stoves/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Vacuums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacuums/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Wet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wet/) [Yearning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yearning/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/) ## Related quotes > [There are many in the Church as well as out of it who need to learn that Christianity is neither creed nor a ceremonial,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-strong/there-are-many-in-the-church-as-well-as-out-of-it-who-need-to-learn/) [Josiah Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-strong/) > [“Show your children God’s love by loving them and others as Christ loves you. Be quick to forgive, don’t hold a grudge, look for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genny-monchamp/show-your-children-god-s-love-by-loving-them-and-others-as-christ/) [Genny Monchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genny-monchamp/) > [“He who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.' That's not really cruel. Loving Christ more than our fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/he-who-loves-father-and-mother-more-than-me-is-not-worthy-of-me-that/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [Ah tell you to trow the child away ah would ah pay the doctor to do it, but you playing church girl and crying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/ah-tell-you-to-trow-the-child-away-ah-would-ah-pay-the-doctor-to-do/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [I'm from the gospel world. I grew up playing in church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/i-m-from-the-gospel-world-i-grew-up-playing-in-church/) [Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/) > [“Lets stop playing church, lets stop playing Christian, simply let the truth Christ live in you, now there is no need for play acting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hartley-jr/lets-stop-playing-church-lets-stop-playing-christian-simply-let-the/) [Alex Hartley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hartley-jr/) > [The church we grew up playing at was not one of those churches known for its music, but it was just this all-around energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thundercat/the-church-we-grew-up-playing-at-was-not-one-of-those-churches-known/) [Thundercat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thundercat/) > [My grandmother, she say I shouldn't be playing. I should go to church. Fially, I say I'm going do this, I'm going do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/my-grandmother-she-say-i-shouldn-t-be-playing-i-should-go-to-church/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [I grew up with a sense of music being a very spiritual experience while playing in church and with parents who were socially aware,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/i-grew-up-with-a-sense-of-music-being-a-very-spiritual-experience/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [In New York, I'm playing in a church, solo, doing instrumental stuff. There's talk of doing more, like, installation-type things with some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/in-new-york-i-m-playing-in-a-church-solo-doing-instrumental-stuff/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [You truly don't know happiness if you don't have Jesus Christ living inside of you. Nothing can complete you without him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-truly-don-t-know-happiness-if-you-don-t-have-jesus-christ-living/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is offered to man's apprehension in any specific revelation of Christ is the living God himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/what-is-offered-to-man-s-apprehension-in-any-specific-revelation-of/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-in-christ-that-we-find-out-who-we-are-and-what-we-are-living-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a world of unrest and fear, political turmoil and moral drift, I testify that Jesus is the Christ—that He is the living Bread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/in-a-world-of-unrest-and-fear-political-turmoil-and-moral-drift-i/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [A dead Christ I must do everything for; a living Christ does everything for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/a-dead-christ-i-must-do-everything-for-a-living-christ-does/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) ## More by J. Vernon McGee > [I wish I could get you to seriously study the Word of God in order that you might see His road map.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/i-wish-i-could-get-you-to-seriously-study-the-word-of-god-in-order/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [Don't tell me you're trusting God until you trust Him with your pocketbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/don-t-tell-me-you-re-trusting-god-until-you-trust-him-with-your/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [Any place you can take Jesus Christ with you is ok to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/any-place-you-can-take-jesus-christ-with-you-is-ok-to-go/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [“Through Jesus Christ our Lord”—He is God. And He is our Lord; He should be the Lord of our lives. Glory should be given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/through-jesus-christ-our-lord-he-is-god-and-he-is-our-lord-he-should/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [Faith is not a leap in the dark. Faith is not a "hope so." Faith is substance and evidence - substance for a scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/faith-is-not-a-leap-in-the-dark-faith-is-not-a-hope-so-faith-is/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [Being a square keeps you from going around in circles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/being-a-square-keeps-you-from-going-around-in-circles/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [Let me remind you that this is God's universe, and He is doing things His way. You may think you have a better way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/let-me-remind-you-that-this-is-god-s-universe-and-he-is-doing-things/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [Someday, when in the presence of our Savior, we will thank Him for every burden, every trial, and every heartache.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/someday-when-in-the-presence-of-our-savior-we-will-thank-him-for/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [What is your ambition in life today? Is it to get rich? Is it to make a name for yourself? Is it even to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/what-is-your-ambition-in-life-today-is-it-to-get-rich-is-it-to-make-a/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [When I hear Christians say, "I don't do this, and I don't do that, and I am following a set of rules," I immediately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/when-i-hear-christians-say-i-don-t-do-this-and-i-don-t-do-that-and-i/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [I believe in the eternal security of the believer and in the insecurity of the make-believer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/i-believe-in-the-eternal-security-of-the-believer-and-in-the/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [I can fill a church speaking on Revelation and empty it speaking on Romans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/i-can-fill-a-church-speaking-on-revelation-and-empty-it-speaking-on/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [“Notice also that there is a tie between Genesis and Revelation, the first and last books of the Bible. Genesis presents the beginning, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/notice-also-that-there-is-a-tie-between-genesis-and-revelation-the/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [He is preeminent in creation because He is the Creator. He is preeminent in redemption for He is the Redeemer. He is preeminent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/he-is-preeminent-in-creation-because-he-is-the-creator-he-is/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [The greatest sin today in the church is the man in the pew who is ignorant of the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/the-greatest-sin-today-in-the-church-is-the-man-in-the-pew-who-is/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) [Explore all 69 J. Vernon McGee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) ## More Amount quotes > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/when-the-amount-of-change-externally-exceeds-the-amount-of-change/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [The amount you give isn't important. 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