Sometimes I forget just how much God longs to spend quality time with his Beloved. Isaiah 62:5 says "As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." I love how the Lord helps me understand his love better through life experiences that I can envision. Have you ever thought about what type of one-on-one time God desires to spend with you?
Imagine a brisk spring day. The sun fights its way through dreary clouds, which threaten to elicit an intense downpour at any given moment. Every once in a while a brief wind creeps up unexpectedly. The unpredictable weather doesn't bother you, though. Nothing could possibly ruin the delight of being alone with your Beloved. It's a day for adventure, just you and your Beloved. You're not sure exactly where the road will take you, but you find peace knowing you're going somewhere together. Better yet, you're going on the path that your Beloved leads you down. You can't help but smile every time He looks at you. A supernatural warmth surges through your limbs and you shiver, blaming it on the wind. "I love you," He says. You hardly believe Him, but you know it's true; He has shown His unconditional love through so many sacrifices and acts of service that you can't help but desire to shower Him with the same love.
After many impromptu decisions, all with predestined outcomes, you arrive at a quiet park. The ancient cottonwood trees tower overhead, leaves rustling as they sway in the breeze. If you pay careful attention, you can watch the chipmunks scurry through the green grass to their bunkers. Your beloved takes you by the hand and leads you down a trail that parallels a gently flowing river. Together, you have not a care in the world. The hardships of life fade away in His presence. You feel you could spend hours strolling hand-in-hand, stopping every few minutes to look into His eyes and see that yes, He does, in fact, think the world of you.
"You're beautiful," He says. The smile that has been glued on your face all day turns to a confused frown. You look around at all the beauty His Father created and wonder how He could possible be putting you above it. "More beautiful than the sun," He assures you, with complete sincerity. How is it that the One who brings intense calm over your complicated soul finds you stunning? You can't understand it. Someone so perfect can look passed the scum of your life, your blemishes and disfiguration, and see beauty. That is the love of your Beloved.
The path continues through the woods accompanied by the sound of the river lapping up against the shore. Sheer bliss rushes through your heart just to be close to your Beloved. He leads you to a bench, hidden from the chaos of the world around you. You sit and talk about all things under the sun, carefree and open, feeling an unshakable security in His arms. "I could talk to you for hours," He whispers softly in your ear. To hear your Beloved desire to know the inner workings of your mind and heart brings you more comfort than ever. You soak in every minute spent with Him, knowing that this is the type of unity God intended you to have with your Beloved. If only we took time every day to sit in the presence of the One who loves us, enjoying His company, exposing vulnerability, and basking in His love.
This is the type of joy God desires us to experience... joy that comes from accepting the grace and love of His Beloved. Joy that comes from embracing your identity as the Beloved of the One who covers all.
No comments:
Post a Comment