--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our world is... longing to see people…" description: "\"Our world is... longing to see people whose God is big and holy and frightening and gentle and tender... and ours; a God whose love frightens us into H..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/mike-yaconelli-13076_arms_our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose_2078370.jpg" --- # Our world is... longing to see people whose God is big and… ![“Our world is... longing to see people whose God is big and holy and frightening and gentle and tender... and ours; a God whose love frightens us into His strong and powerful arms where He longs to whisper those terrifying words, 'I love you.'” quote by Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/mike-yaconelli-13076_arms_our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose_2078370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/mike-yaconelli-13076_arms_our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose_2078370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/mike-yaconelli-13076_arms_our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose_2078370.jpg) > “Our world is... longing to see people whose God is big and holy and frightening and gentle and tender... and ours; a God whose love frightens us into His strong and powerful arms where He longs to whisper those terrifying words, 'I love you.'” [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine love is both awe‑inspiring and tender, urging believers toward reverent intimacy. **In simple terms:** God’s love is powerful, scary, and gentle. Key Takeaway Seek a balanced reverence for the divine. Themes faith love spirituality Mood reflective devotional Type spiritual theological When to use this quote - worship - prayer - community building - personal reflection Key Concepts theology emotional intimacy Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile fear and love in your faith? - What does a “terrifying” love look like in daily life? A Different Perspective Intense reverence can cause fear rather than comfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [God love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-love/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Frightens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-frightens-3628638/) [Love you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-you/) [Loves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loves/) [Our world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-world/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-god/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-longing-2529265/) ## Related quotes > [“...Pouring every bit of the emotion she felt into her kiss, Blair melted into her partner until she could feel own her knees weaken.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-x-meagher/pouring-every-bit-of-the-emotion-she-felt-into-her-kiss-blair-melted/) [Susan X. Meagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-x-meagher/) > [I am very bad at expressing tender sentiments. The very word 'love' frightens me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/i-am-very-bad-at-expressing-tender-sentiments-the-very-word-love/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [I'm moved by people who see the world differently than others. People who see the world with a longing for its poetry often can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/i-m-moved-by-people-who-see-the-world-differently-than-others-people/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [Upon suffering beyond suffering: the Red Nation shall rise again and it shall be a blessing for a sick world. A world filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crazy-horse/upon-suffering-beyond-suffering-the-red-nation-shall-rise-again-and/) [Crazy Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crazy-horse/) > [Maybe. Anyway, some men get what they want. No man. Or perhaps only briefly so as to lose it. Or perhaps only to prove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/maybe-anyway-some-men-get-what-they-want-no-man-or-perhaps-only/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“I know that hunger for self-isolation, it eats u up. Disconnecting yourself from external world and longing to disappear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreya-gupta/i-know-that-hunger-for-self-isolation-it-eats-u-up-disconnecting/) [Shreya Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shreya-gupta/) > [“Today there is a deep longing in our culture to reconnect to this spiritual world, for we are not whole without it. But our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-nadler/today-there-is-a-deep-longing-in-our-culture-to-reconnect-to-this/) [Jeremy Nadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-nadler/) > [“I don't know why people are so shy about expressing openly in front of the world their longing for each other, the most powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-wagenstein/i-don-t-know-why-people-are-so-shy-about-expressing-openly-in-front/) [Angel Wagenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-wagenstein/) > [“We are in the world where the longing mountains are the most grounded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/we-are-in-the-world-where-the-longing-mountains-are-the-most-grounded/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [For many people, God is a frightening idea. Asking God for help doesn't seem very comforting if we think of Him as something outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-many-people-god-is-a-frightening-idea-asking-god-for-help-doesn-t/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Love the people GOD gave you because you will need them back one day!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzie-lynn/love-the-people-god-gave-you-because-you-will-need-them-back-one-day/) [Kenzie Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzie-lynn/) > [Forgive people so that God may Forgive you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/forgive-people-so-that-god-may-forgive-you/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I could not say I believe. I know! I have had the experience of being gripped by something that is stronger than myself, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-could-not-say-i-believe-i-know-i-have-had-the-experience-of-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's hard to know, isn't it, whether the things we face are just because the world is full of sin and sinful people, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricia-goyer/it-s-hard-to-know-isn-t-it-whether-the-things-we-face-are-just/) [Tricia Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricia-goyer/) > [“again. Here is a sober lesson. Even after times of spectacular revival, reformation, or covenantal renewal, the people of God are never more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/again-here-is-a-sober-lesson-even-after-times-of-spectacular-revival/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) ## More by Mike Yaconelli > [That's why we trust the Bible - it speaks to both realities: the unchanging human condition and the constantly changing cultural conditions. It speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/that-s-why-we-trust-the-bible-it-speaks-to-both-realities-the/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [A calling is the place where your gifts, abilities, desires, and feelings of worth all meet. When you follow your calling, you feel at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/a-calling-is-the-place-where-your-gifts-abilities-desires-and/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [There have been times where I've said, 'Jesus, I don't believe in you anymore, get out of here. I don't know. I don't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/there-have-been-times-where-i-ve-said-jesus-i-don-t-believe-in-you/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [When I was younger, I believed my inconsistency was due to my youth. I believed that age would teach me all I needed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/when-i-was-younger-i-believed-my-inconsistency-was-due-to-my-youth-i/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [The Church is the place where the incompetent, the unfinished, and even the unhealthy are welcome. I believe Jesus agrees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/the-church-is-the-place-where-the-incompetent-the-unfinished-and-even/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [The reason people don't take Christianity very seriously anymore is because all people do is put it on their business cards and blab to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/the-reason-people-don-t-take-christianity-very-seriously-anymore-is/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Christianity is not about learning how to live within the lines; Christianity is about the joy of coloring. The grace of God is preposterous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/christianity-is-not-about-learning-how-to-live-within-the-lines/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [I think satire is most effective when you love the thing you're satirizing rather than... have a vendetta against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/i-think-satire-is-most-effective-when-you-love-the-thing-you-re/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. It is a relationship. Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spirituality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/spirituality-is-not-a-formula-it-is-not-a-test-it-is-a-relationship/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Evangelicals always assume that humor and faith are contradictory. It's OK to smile, to be nice, but not frivolous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/evangelicals-always-assume-that-humor-and-faith-are-contradictory-it/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [I just want to be remembered as a person who loved God, who served others more than he served himself, who was trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/i-just-want-to-be-remembered-as-a-person-who-loved-god-who-served/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [Play is an expression of God's presence in the world; one clear sign of God's absence in society is the absence of playfulness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/play-is-an-expression-of-god-s-presence-in-the-world-one-clear-sign-2/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a godly person. Yet when I look at the yesterdays of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/for-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-have-wanted-to-be-a-godly-person-yet/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [If I were to die today, I would be nervous about what people would say at my funeral. I would be happy if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/if-i-were-to-die-today-i-would-be-nervous-about-what-people-would-say/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) > [There are a whole lot of people who are so freakin' busy—they've so cluttered up their lives—they're at their wits' end. And if they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/there-are-a-whole-lot-of-people-who-are-so-freakin-busy-they-ve-so/) [Mike Yaconelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) [Explore all 52 Mike Yaconelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. 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"I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) [Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our world is... longing to see people whose God is big and holy and frightening and gentle and tender... and ours; a God whose love frightens us into His strong and powerful arms where He longs to whisper those terrifying words, 'I love you.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Yaconelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose-god-is-big-and-holy-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose-god-is-big-and-holy-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/mike-yaconelli-13076_arms_our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose_2078370.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/mike-yaconelli-13076_arms_our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose_2078370.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a87/mike-yaconelli-13076_arms_our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose_2078370.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our world is... longing to see people whose God is big and holy and frightening and gentle and tender... and…” — Mike Yaconelli", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mike Yaconelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-yaconelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our world is... longing to see...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose-god-is-big-and-holy-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-yaconelli/our-world-is-longing-to-see-people-whose-god-is-big-and-holy-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```