“For I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be established” (Romans 1:11).

Long (Def): (Gr.): Epipotheo from Epi and Potheo: To yearn, to dote upon, earnestly desire, intensely crave

There was an earnest desire in the heart of the Apostle to travel to Rome to share in the rich fellowship with the saints at the already established church there, in order, as he shares in his Epistle, to “impart some spiritual gift to the end you may be established” in your faith.

The longing of the Apostle to go to the Church at Rome was a long standing one as he noted:

“Now I would not have you ignorant, Brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, but was hindered hitherto, that I might have some fruit among you also even as among other Gentiles” (Romans 1:13).

The Longing Heart is a heart that with intense and earnest desire seeks to see, enjoy the presence, and fellowship with another. This longing heart seeks by prayer and intercession to find a way in the Lord for a pathway to be opened for the opportunity to be joined once again, or for the first time with someone, or with others with whom they have become joined in faith, love, and the joy of the Lord. This heart is precious in the sight of the Lord who Himself longs to be with His people.

In his Epistle to the Philippians the Apostle expresses his earnest desire for them, writing:

“Therefore, my Brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown; stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved” (Philippians 4:1).

To the Church at Thessalonica the Apostle writes:

“But now Timothy has come from you to us and brought us good tidings of your faith and love, and that you have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly (epipotheo) to see us, as we also to see you” (I Thessalonians 3:6).

As an Apostle, Paul was intensely connected to the saints and Brethren in the churches he helped establish, in Phillipi, Corinth, Thessalonica, Ephesus, Colossae, and others. His Epistles express his deep longing for them as his travels required him to be away from them for long periods of time, along with his years of imprisonment in Caesarea and Rome. In his Epistle to the Philippians Paul writes:

“For God is my record how greatly I long after (epipotheo) you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:8).

The Longing Heart is filled with intense feelings and emotions, even heaviness of spirit, that produce intercessions and prayers with strong crying and tears for those upon whom the heart has been set. The Apostle gives us an example of one of his fellow laborers, Epaphroditus, in his Epistle to the Philippians:

“I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my Brother, and companion in labor and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my needs. For he longed after you all and was full of heaviness because you had heard he was sick. For indeed he was sick, but God had mercy upon him. . .” (Philippians 2:26-27a).

The Apostle was especially mindful and caring for his fellow laborers in the Lord. One of his closest companions was Timothy to whom he wrote in his Second Epistle:

“To Timothy, my dearly beloved son, grace, mercy and peace from God, the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of you in my prayers, night and day; greatly desiring (epipotheo) to see you being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy” (II Timothy 1:1-4).

In addition to our deep desire to fellowship with our Brethren, there is also a desire, a longing in the heart of the saints for our heavenly home, as the Apostle describes:

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring (epipotheo) to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven” (II Corinthians 5:1-2).

The Apostle Peter in his First Epistle also encourages us to earnestly desire (epipotheo) the Word of God:

“As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby. If so be, you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (I Peter 2:2-3).

Whether fellowship with our Brethren, whether our new home in heaven, or whether the Word of God, let us yearn for, earnestly desire, dare I say crave? the things of God, those heavenly and spiritual things, “those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1b). The longing heart would have it so. Always and forever.

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