Throughout the Song the Bride’s mother speaks of the Church; her mother’s sons then are her brothers. The sons were angry at her zeal and passion she displays for her Beloved. This speaks symbolically of spiritually dull leaders who don’t embrace fervent believers. People on-fire for God bring conviction to those who are apathetic in their walk with the Lord. A person who hungers for more of God and demonstrates passion in their worship and devotion challenges other believers who may be stagnant and complacent in their walk. Not only does a lovesick believer‘s life bring conviction to those who are lukewarm, but often these hungry, fiery lovers of God are full of zeal yet lack wisdom and humility, thus provoking even more anger.
Often in the life of a believer who is on-fire and lovesick, their desire to please the Lord causes them to engage in any and every ministry they can be involved in. They have an exuberance to serve their Beloved by serving others. Unfortunately, undiscerning or “angry” leaders will take advantage of the enthusiasm of these fiery ones, giving them many responsibilities in different “vineyards.” But if one is not first tending to their own vineyard, it does not take long to burn-out. So we find in the Church those who started their ministries with passion and zeal but somehow have become more focused on the serving than on their First Love. They allow the pressures and demands for their time to replace the intimate times of devotion that initiated the burning with passion.
Have you ever seen a leader in the Church advise someone who is on-fire and lovesick just to stay in the secret place for a season and continue to develop their intimacy with the Lord? Has anyone ever encouraged you to be “so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good” – I don’t suppose they mean so transformed in mind that you can actually bring the Kingdom of God into life’s circumstances and change the atmosphere around you! What is “earthy good” anyway? Aren’t we called to be separated, strangers and aliens in this world? Isn’t our citizenship in Heaven? Didn’t God say that friendship with the world was adultery with Him? I love the way the Lord defended Mary when her sister brought charges against her saying to Jesus “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?” Jesus replied “only a few things are necessary, really only one…” (Luke 10:38-42) Let us represent the heart of Jesus and encourage one another into deeper places of prayer and intimacy.
Our first commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength. With all the demands that life places on our time, let us be careful to not neglect our own “vineyard.” Our ministry should be an overflow of our intimacy with the Lord as we spend time listening to His heart beat and letting Him place His love and compassion in our heart.
Devotional Prayer
Lord, I thank you that I was created to be Your bride, and you long for intimacy in our relationship. Holy Spirit, search my heart to reveal areas in my life where I have wrongly given priority of my time and have neglected to cultivate my relationship with You. Give me the boldness to guard our time together even if it means saying no to friends, family, and ministries that press me for time. Let my heart beat as one with Yours so that I may overflow with Your love to those around me. I want to be a fiery, passionate, lover of God all the days of my life!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:6 Do not stare at me because I am black, for the sun has burned me.
In the bride’s progression of her spiritual journey she cried out for intimacy with her Beloved, to which He responded by bringing her into His chambers. It is in the chambers where she enjoys and experiences Him in deep spiritual union, but being close to His glory and light also exposes the darkness inside of her. She acknowledges her weaknesses and failures but is ashamed and does not want others to stare at the darkness within her.
This is true for all believers who posture themselves before the light of the Lord’s presence. In His holy presence we are confronted with those areas of our lives where we are still walking contrary to His Word. We are aware of how our old nature has blackened us and feel ashamed when others look at our failures. Most of us try to hide and conceal these areas of our lives, not wanting others to see our weaknesses and old sinful nature. And for fear of judgment from those who would look at the darkness of our lives, we often put on masks and live hoping no one sees who we really are.
Have you ever had a stigma placed on you by someone who could never see where you had matured beyond their first perception? I see this often in both the corporate world and in the church. A person fails to handle a situation in a way that meets everyone’s expectations and the negative behavior is forever retained as the image of who that person is. That person may mature in their character and emotions but still will be overlooked for promotions because they just can’t get free from the stigma. People usually respond in one of two ways to these types of situations; they either begin to see themselves as a loser who will never amount to anything, and give up their pursuits, always living under the perception of other people’s opinions, or they learn to “act” according to the expectations of others. But often in the “acting” they take on yokes that they were not created to carry. They try to become someone they are not while living under the pressure that someone might find out who they really are.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 says “Therefore, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” I relate this to the Song of Songs verse in two ways. The first is the challange to view other believers as a new creation; to look beyond their weaknesses and areas where they are still maturing and to love them even as Jesus loves all of us… even in our weakness. We need to search our hearts to see if there are those whom we have placed a stigma upon and have not seen their recent growth and their full potential in the Lord. We need to come along side one another and encourage each other on to greater things in the Kingdom, even though we all fail at times. We need to create an environment in the church where people don’t have to wear a mask for fear of judgment as they are learning to walk out their salvation.
The other application of this verse to our lives is the reality that when sin is exposed in our lives, it is just proof that we are growing in the light! We can take courage that though others may see the un-renewed areas of our lives and those places that have been marred as the consequence of living in a fallen world, but the Lover of our soul sees us as beautiful and lovely. He calls us His own!
Devotional Prayer
Lord, I thank You that you have created me for Yourself, for Your pleasure. You have made me to be Your bride! Thank You that I don’t have to wear a mask any longer, but Your love has set me free from living under the yoke of man’s opinions. You don’t view me through my fallen nature but have made me new. Holy Spirit, I want to walk in Your love and see others according to their new nature so they don’t have to wear a mask around me. Let me see others as You see them!
This is true for all believers who posture themselves before the light of the Lord’s presence. In His holy presence we are confronted with those areas of our lives where we are still walking contrary to His Word. We are aware of how our old nature has blackened us and feel ashamed when others look at our failures. Most of us try to hide and conceal these areas of our lives, not wanting others to see our weaknesses and old sinful nature. And for fear of judgment from those who would look at the darkness of our lives, we often put on masks and live hoping no one sees who we really are.
Have you ever had a stigma placed on you by someone who could never see where you had matured beyond their first perception? I see this often in both the corporate world and in the church. A person fails to handle a situation in a way that meets everyone’s expectations and the negative behavior is forever retained as the image of who that person is. That person may mature in their character and emotions but still will be overlooked for promotions because they just can’t get free from the stigma. People usually respond in one of two ways to these types of situations; they either begin to see themselves as a loser who will never amount to anything, and give up their pursuits, always living under the perception of other people’s opinions, or they learn to “act” according to the expectations of others. But often in the “acting” they take on yokes that they were not created to carry. They try to become someone they are not while living under the pressure that someone might find out who they really are.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 says “Therefore, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” I relate this to the Song of Songs verse in two ways. The first is the challange to view other believers as a new creation; to look beyond their weaknesses and areas where they are still maturing and to love them even as Jesus loves all of us… even in our weakness. We need to search our hearts to see if there are those whom we have placed a stigma upon and have not seen their recent growth and their full potential in the Lord. We need to come along side one another and encourage each other on to greater things in the Kingdom, even though we all fail at times. We need to create an environment in the church where people don’t have to wear a mask for fear of judgment as they are learning to walk out their salvation.
The other application of this verse to our lives is the reality that when sin is exposed in our lives, it is just proof that we are growing in the light! We can take courage that though others may see the un-renewed areas of our lives and those places that have been marred as the consequence of living in a fallen world, but the Lover of our soul sees us as beautiful and lovely. He calls us His own!
Devotional Prayer
Lord, I thank You that you have created me for Yourself, for Your pleasure. You have made me to be Your bride! Thank You that I don’t have to wear a mask any longer, but Your love has set me free from living under the yoke of man’s opinions. You don’t view me through my fallen nature but have made me new. Holy Spirit, I want to walk in Your love and see others according to their new nature so they don’t have to wear a mask around me. Let me see others as You see them!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Song of Solomon 5:1 I am dark but lovely
I love this statement, “I am dark but lovely” This verse has helped me stay steady as I pursue deeper intimacy with the Lord. It has given me confidence to continue to press in to His heart and not shrink back when I am confronted with the weakness of my flesh. It gives me the assurance that God delights in me and calls me lovely, His dove, His perfect one, as I mature in my relationship with Him, even when I stumble!
Most of us could produce a rap sheet against ourselves that would unquestionably disqualify us from ever achieving the greatness God has called us to; our own accusations can even prevent us from pursuing a deeper relationship with the Lord. It is difficult to come before His holy presence when we see ourselves as sinful and weak in flesh. We are our own worst critics at times, and in spite of God’s abundant mercy and forgiveness, we often seem to place ourselves in a penalty box for a season until we feel we have paid the consequence of our mistakes. And, if it is not our own conscious condemning us, our enemy is always seizing an opportunity to steal, kill, and destroy us by magnifying our weakness as a superior truth over God’s truth and what He says about us. We become more focused on our weakness than focused on Jesus and what He accomplished when He was crucified for our sins.
In the progression of our journey with the Beloved, we have encounters where we are drawn into the King’s chambers and are exposed to His glory and light. These encounters are extremely pleasant to our spirit as we drink from His river of holiness, purity, and glory, but the closer we get to Him, the more the darkness inside of us is exposed. The more His light is revealed in us, the more we recognize our sin. When we really love God, seeing our sin and the weakness of our flesh creates a great tension within us and we can feel like we have failed Him. It is critical then that we understand that He sees us as beautiful and He delights in us even in our weakness. He sees the sincere intentions of our heart to follow and obey Him. He uses a different standard of measurement than we do. If we don’t understand that He loves us in our immaturity, being exposed to His glory and holiness could produce shame and condemnation in us and we would lose confidence to approach Him. How He sees us is a powerful truth to our spirit. We must receive His words of affirmation and His affections on a daily basis and allow the truth of His Word to transform our heart and mind that we might see ourselves as He see us.
God’s heart is moved by us when we are sincere about seeking Him and living for Him. It is amazing to think that the King of all Kings, the One whose reign is eternal, has chosen us as His eternal companion. He desires that we be with Him where His is, even now… not just in eternity! He has made every provision for us to be cleansed and holy, so much so that He has chosen to dwell in us and call us His holy temple. He uses the term “Bridegroom” as He describes His joy and passion for us; He is the pursuer in this relationship. He is not embarrassed to call us His bride! We are His special treasure and His inheritance. Even now, even as we are maturing but are still weak. We don’t have to wait until eternity to enter into His divine romance, He wants us to live every day in the confidence of His ravished heart for us and walk in the sweet union of His love.
Devotional Prayer
Lord, Your love for me is so far beyond my comprehension, You stagger my mind with Your passion and desire for me! Your affirmation gives me confidence that when I stumble I can run to You for help, and not away from You in shame. Oh, that You call me Your bride, to be Your companion, the object of Your affections, forever and ever, time without end, is so incomprehensible. That You see me as beautiful and lovely changes the way I see myself! Your delight is in me, and I am Yours. Thank You for Your amazing love that sustains me through every season in life as I mature in my relatio0nship with You.
Most of us could produce a rap sheet against ourselves that would unquestionably disqualify us from ever achieving the greatness God has called us to; our own accusations can even prevent us from pursuing a deeper relationship with the Lord. It is difficult to come before His holy presence when we see ourselves as sinful and weak in flesh. We are our own worst critics at times, and in spite of God’s abundant mercy and forgiveness, we often seem to place ourselves in a penalty box for a season until we feel we have paid the consequence of our mistakes. And, if it is not our own conscious condemning us, our enemy is always seizing an opportunity to steal, kill, and destroy us by magnifying our weakness as a superior truth over God’s truth and what He says about us. We become more focused on our weakness than focused on Jesus and what He accomplished when He was crucified for our sins.
In the progression of our journey with the Beloved, we have encounters where we are drawn into the King’s chambers and are exposed to His glory and light. These encounters are extremely pleasant to our spirit as we drink from His river of holiness, purity, and glory, but the closer we get to Him, the more the darkness inside of us is exposed. The more His light is revealed in us, the more we recognize our sin. When we really love God, seeing our sin and the weakness of our flesh creates a great tension within us and we can feel like we have failed Him. It is critical then that we understand that He sees us as beautiful and He delights in us even in our weakness. He sees the sincere intentions of our heart to follow and obey Him. He uses a different standard of measurement than we do. If we don’t understand that He loves us in our immaturity, being exposed to His glory and holiness could produce shame and condemnation in us and we would lose confidence to approach Him. How He sees us is a powerful truth to our spirit. We must receive His words of affirmation and His affections on a daily basis and allow the truth of His Word to transform our heart and mind that we might see ourselves as He see us.
God’s heart is moved by us when we are sincere about seeking Him and living for Him. It is amazing to think that the King of all Kings, the One whose reign is eternal, has chosen us as His eternal companion. He desires that we be with Him where His is, even now… not just in eternity! He has made every provision for us to be cleansed and holy, so much so that He has chosen to dwell in us and call us His holy temple. He uses the term “Bridegroom” as He describes His joy and passion for us; He is the pursuer in this relationship. He is not embarrassed to call us His bride! We are His special treasure and His inheritance. Even now, even as we are maturing but are still weak. We don’t have to wait until eternity to enter into His divine romance, He wants us to live every day in the confidence of His ravished heart for us and walk in the sweet union of His love.
Devotional Prayer
Lord, Your love for me is so far beyond my comprehension, You stagger my mind with Your passion and desire for me! Your affirmation gives me confidence that when I stumble I can run to You for help, and not away from You in shame. Oh, that You call me Your bride, to be Your companion, the object of Your affections, forever and ever, time without end, is so incomprehensible. That You see me as beautiful and lovely changes the way I see myself! Your delight is in me, and I am Yours. Thank You for Your amazing love that sustains me through every season in life as I mature in my relatio0nship with You.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:4 We will rejoice in You and be glad; We will extol Your love more than wine
The Shulamite has just experienced being brought into the King’s chambers, the innermost place, far away from all other loves, where she freely enjoyed her Beloved in deep communion. It is after her chamber experience that she declares, “we will rejoice in You and be glad.” Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand are pleasures forever.” It is in the chambers of our King, our Beloved, that we come to know true and lasting joy.
Have you ever been feeling down, discouraged, and life seems overwhelming; those times when our circumstances almost seem bigger than our God? And then all of a sudden you are overcome by His presence and His peace as the Beloved reveals His love to your heart and assures you of His faithfulness as He declares over you, “My delight in is you, My desire is for you.” And even though your circumstances have not changed, just experiencing His love in His presence brings a new confidence and joy to your heart. And what seemed so insurmountable a moment ago now has a new perspective in the light of His goodness. While this type of encounter is not always in “the King’s chambers” yet we discover that it is not our circumstances or what we do in life that brings us lasting joy, but it is communing with Him in His presence that is the source of our peace and deepest joy.
We are living in times when the nations are facing crisis in every arena; financially, morally, economically, and spiritually. And if you really believe what the Bible says, there is coming a day when the King is going to shake everything that can be shaken. Have we prepared ourselves for the season that is upon us? Do we really have a sustaining joy that is rooted in Him? Do we find our security in Him or in our own resources? Have we been lulled into spiritual sleep by the entertainment of the world? Do we comfort one another with soothing words that all is OK? I believe the Lord would say that all is not OK. 1 Peter 4:17-18 says “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey God. And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is being saved, what will become of the Godless man and the sinner?”
We need to ask the Lord to draw us away after Him, let Him take us into His chambers where our heart can be grounded in the depths of His love and know His everlasting peace and inexpressible joy. We must have these encounters so we can come to know the depths of His passions for us as our Bridegroom God and not become offended at Him when circumstances in life don’t turn out as we think they should. We need to have these deep encounters so that our entire being becomes infused with our Beloved and we can say “we will extol, remember, Your love more than wine” that is, more than all the pleasures this world can offer. Then when we are faced with temptations, trails, or economic crisis, it will be the remembrance of our intimate chamber experiences with our Beloved that will keep us steady and faithful to Him. The remembrance of His intimate encounters will cause our heart to overflow with joy even in the midst of adversity. We need to have our hearts secured in Him alone, anchored in His unfailing love and know Him as the essence of our joy and delight.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7
“I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10
Devotional Prayer
Thank You Lord for the everlasting joy that I have found in You. I ask that You take me into a deeper relationship with You, where I can begin to comprehend Your infinite goodness and incomprehensible love for me. Help me to become so united with Your Living Flame of Love that nothing in this life can move me from being centered in You. When the waters rage all around me I will remain steady and confident in Your love. When temptation are before me, I will remember Your love as the greatest pleasure in all of life!
Have you ever been feeling down, discouraged, and life seems overwhelming; those times when our circumstances almost seem bigger than our God? And then all of a sudden you are overcome by His presence and His peace as the Beloved reveals His love to your heart and assures you of His faithfulness as He declares over you, “My delight in is you, My desire is for you.” And even though your circumstances have not changed, just experiencing His love in His presence brings a new confidence and joy to your heart. And what seemed so insurmountable a moment ago now has a new perspective in the light of His goodness. While this type of encounter is not always in “the King’s chambers” yet we discover that it is not our circumstances or what we do in life that brings us lasting joy, but it is communing with Him in His presence that is the source of our peace and deepest joy.
We are living in times when the nations are facing crisis in every arena; financially, morally, economically, and spiritually. And if you really believe what the Bible says, there is coming a day when the King is going to shake everything that can be shaken. Have we prepared ourselves for the season that is upon us? Do we really have a sustaining joy that is rooted in Him? Do we find our security in Him or in our own resources? Have we been lulled into spiritual sleep by the entertainment of the world? Do we comfort one another with soothing words that all is OK? I believe the Lord would say that all is not OK. 1 Peter 4:17-18 says “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey God. And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is being saved, what will become of the Godless man and the sinner?”
We need to ask the Lord to draw us away after Him, let Him take us into His chambers where our heart can be grounded in the depths of His love and know His everlasting peace and inexpressible joy. We must have these encounters so we can come to know the depths of His passions for us as our Bridegroom God and not become offended at Him when circumstances in life don’t turn out as we think they should. We need to have these deep encounters so that our entire being becomes infused with our Beloved and we can say “we will extol, remember, Your love more than wine” that is, more than all the pleasures this world can offer. Then when we are faced with temptations, trails, or economic crisis, it will be the remembrance of our intimate chamber experiences with our Beloved that will keep us steady and faithful to Him. The remembrance of His intimate encounters will cause our heart to overflow with joy even in the midst of adversity. We need to have our hearts secured in Him alone, anchored in His unfailing love and know Him as the essence of our joy and delight.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7
“I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10
Devotional Prayer
Thank You Lord for the everlasting joy that I have found in You. I ask that You take me into a deeper relationship with You, where I can begin to comprehend Your infinite goodness and incomprehensible love for me. Help me to become so united with Your Living Flame of Love that nothing in this life can move me from being centered in You. When the waters rage all around me I will remain steady and confident in Your love. When temptation are before me, I will remember Your love as the greatest pleasure in all of life!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:4 The King has brought me into His chambers
At the beginning of this verse the bride cried out to the Beloved asking Him to “Draw her away.” The King is attentive to her voice and quickly responds by bringing her into His chambers.
The King’s chamber is a place where we encounter the Lord in intimate communion. The Hebrew word used here is “cheder” (kheh’ –der) and is defined as an inner chamber, bedroom, innermost room. It is in the innermost place, far away from all other loves, that we enjoy and experience the Lord in deep spiritual union. It is the King who takes the initiative to draw us and bring us into His chambers. We were created to be His partner for all eternity, we are His delight and His desires are for us. The chambers are a sacred place where we give ourselves fully to Him and He give Himself to us; it is the place where we discover the passions of His heart, and where we develop our secret life in God that establishes deep roots to sustain us through all that life brings our way.
The chamber experiences are very different from the encounters we have with the Lord in a corporate setting. While we can experience intimate encounters with the Lord during corporate meetings they will not have the same depth as an encounter where we are drawn away to a private place where we commune with undistracted attention. We have all attended an awesome worship service where we felt God’s presence and have experienced life changing encounters, but these type of encounters can’t be compared to the Divine ecstasy when the King escorts us to His chambers where He can communicate His passions and desires free from all outside distractions.
Imagine a couple who are in love as they become impatient from being in a crowd of people; they look for the right moment when they can steal away to a secluded place. It is in these moments where lovers learn about each other as they exchange the secrets of their heart. Our spirit also, longs for these private places where we can draw away and discover the deep things of our Beloved and feel His heartbeat; it is here that love’s passions are increased. A moment in His chamber can change our lives forever!
We must not be satisfied with a casual encounter on Sunday, instead we need to contend with the familiar and seek for deeper encounters with the Lover of our soul. Let us cry out to be drawn away into intimate chamber experiences with our Bridegroom King; He will not delay to bring us closer to Himself.
Devotional Prayer
Lord, nothing compares to the beauty of Your Majesty, to gaze upon You and to see the fire in Your eyes. In the depths of Your chambers is inexpressible joy, the place of all true contentment. Oh, to see the Bridegroom King in His glory! To be drawn by You into Your chamber, to experience the sweet union of fellowship with You in the deepest core places of my being. Your passion and love for me is incomprehensible. What can compare; who can compare with the One who is totally other than! Thank You Lord, for the amazing encounters with You as You draw me away!
The King’s chamber is a place where we encounter the Lord in intimate communion. The Hebrew word used here is “cheder” (kheh’ –der) and is defined as an inner chamber, bedroom, innermost room. It is in the innermost place, far away from all other loves, that we enjoy and experience the Lord in deep spiritual union. It is the King who takes the initiative to draw us and bring us into His chambers. We were created to be His partner for all eternity, we are His delight and His desires are for us. The chambers are a sacred place where we give ourselves fully to Him and He give Himself to us; it is the place where we discover the passions of His heart, and where we develop our secret life in God that establishes deep roots to sustain us through all that life brings our way.
The chamber experiences are very different from the encounters we have with the Lord in a corporate setting. While we can experience intimate encounters with the Lord during corporate meetings they will not have the same depth as an encounter where we are drawn away to a private place where we commune with undistracted attention. We have all attended an awesome worship service where we felt God’s presence and have experienced life changing encounters, but these type of encounters can’t be compared to the Divine ecstasy when the King escorts us to His chambers where He can communicate His passions and desires free from all outside distractions.
Imagine a couple who are in love as they become impatient from being in a crowd of people; they look for the right moment when they can steal away to a secluded place. It is in these moments where lovers learn about each other as they exchange the secrets of their heart. Our spirit also, longs for these private places where we can draw away and discover the deep things of our Beloved and feel His heartbeat; it is here that love’s passions are increased. A moment in His chamber can change our lives forever!
We must not be satisfied with a casual encounter on Sunday, instead we need to contend with the familiar and seek for deeper encounters with the Lover of our soul. Let us cry out to be drawn away into intimate chamber experiences with our Bridegroom King; He will not delay to bring us closer to Himself.
Devotional Prayer
Lord, nothing compares to the beauty of Your Majesty, to gaze upon You and to see the fire in Your eyes. In the depths of Your chambers is inexpressible joy, the place of all true contentment. Oh, to see the Bridegroom King in His glory! To be drawn by You into Your chamber, to experience the sweet union of fellowship with You in the deepest core places of my being. Your passion and love for me is incomprehensible. What can compare; who can compare with the One who is totally other than! Thank You Lord, for the amazing encounters with You as You draw me away!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:4 Let us run together!
In the first part of this verse we cried out to our Beloved to “Draw us after Him” to a place where our spirit is united with Him. It’s in this place of union with His Spirit that our will becomes infused in purpose and desire with His heart. We long to know the things that please Him and run with Him to see His desires fulfilled. We could not run after Him if He did not draw us. Notice the word used here was to “run” which implies an eagerness to pursue; as He awakens us to His passionate desire for us, our spirit is not content to walk, but with much longing we run hard after Him. There are two ways that we run together with the Lord, the first is to run together in intimacy where we fulfill the first commandment of Matthew 22:37 to “Love the LORD with our your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
The second way we run together with our Beloved is in loving our neighbor as ourselves, thus fulfilling the second commandment of Matthew 22:39. It is from the place of a heart inflamed with the love of God that our hearts overflow with His love to those around us. All of our ministry should be an overflow of this union of our hearts and wills. For centuries men and women who have been captured by His love have loved not their own lives unto death because they refused to deny the Lover of their soul. With hearts impassioned by His fiery love they suffered imprisonment and death.
One such story is of Nijole Sadunaite who was sentenced to prison in Soviet Lithuania in the 1970s. As she stood before the court she told them “This is the happiest day of my life. I was judged today for the cause of truth and love toward men. What cause could be more important? I have an enviable fate, a glorious destiny. My condemnation will be my triumph. I regret only having done so little for men” She was sentenced to prison for three years. After being freed, she met the Pope in Rome, and he asked her, “How was it in jail?” She replied, “Romantic.” (Taken from Jesus Freaks)
I love this story because when a heart is consumed in the passion of loves fire there is no cost too great for the One it loves. Only those who know the passion of His love would find it romantic to be martyred or imprisoned for their Beloved. This Divine Romance empowers us to be faithful through persecution and through the mundane of day-to-day life. Once our heart is captivated by His love and beauty our life vision seems to change from an ambitious self-centered focus to a life vision of wanting to please the One we love, to pour out our lives in pursuing Him and the desires of His heart. It doesn’t really matter where we are in life, what we have or have not accomplished to fulfill a life vision of pursuing and pleasing our Beloved. His is our One desire!
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, thank you for drawing me to You and for captivating my heart with Your passionate love. You are the One who initiates the pursuit and desire that I am with You where You are. You want us to run together in a deeper, intimate relationship. I want to know the passions and desires of Your heart. I want to know You! Holy Spirit let the fire of Your love and passion permeate every part of my being so that in union with You we can also pour out Your love to others. I want to run with You to bring others to their eternal destiny of intimacy with our Bridegroom God.
The second way we run together with our Beloved is in loving our neighbor as ourselves, thus fulfilling the second commandment of Matthew 22:39. It is from the place of a heart inflamed with the love of God that our hearts overflow with His love to those around us. All of our ministry should be an overflow of this union of our hearts and wills. For centuries men and women who have been captured by His love have loved not their own lives unto death because they refused to deny the Lover of their soul. With hearts impassioned by His fiery love they suffered imprisonment and death.
One such story is of Nijole Sadunaite who was sentenced to prison in Soviet Lithuania in the 1970s. As she stood before the court she told them “This is the happiest day of my life. I was judged today for the cause of truth and love toward men. What cause could be more important? I have an enviable fate, a glorious destiny. My condemnation will be my triumph. I regret only having done so little for men” She was sentenced to prison for three years. After being freed, she met the Pope in Rome, and he asked her, “How was it in jail?” She replied, “Romantic.” (Taken from Jesus Freaks)
I love this story because when a heart is consumed in the passion of loves fire there is no cost too great for the One it loves. Only those who know the passion of His love would find it romantic to be martyred or imprisoned for their Beloved. This Divine Romance empowers us to be faithful through persecution and through the mundane of day-to-day life. Once our heart is captivated by His love and beauty our life vision seems to change from an ambitious self-centered focus to a life vision of wanting to please the One we love, to pour out our lives in pursuing Him and the desires of His heart. It doesn’t really matter where we are in life, what we have or have not accomplished to fulfill a life vision of pursuing and pleasing our Beloved. His is our One desire!
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, thank you for drawing me to You and for captivating my heart with Your passionate love. You are the One who initiates the pursuit and desire that I am with You where You are. You want us to run together in a deeper, intimate relationship. I want to know the passions and desires of Your heart. I want to know You! Holy Spirit let the fire of Your love and passion permeate every part of my being so that in union with You we can also pour out Your love to others. I want to run with You to bring others to their eternal destiny of intimacy with our Bridegroom God.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:4 Draw me after You
“I know there must be more than this” is a cry arising from the hearts of hungry believers across the globe. As God begins to open our hearts to His affections and emotions through revelation from His Word, these “Kisses” He imparts awakens our soul to Divine love. Our soul having been awakened, longs to be drawn deeper and deeper by the Holy Spirit into the intimacies of His love. Once our heart has been touched by the fire of His love, all other things will leave us empty. Even spiritual activities can’t satisfy our deepest longings, only our Beloved Himself can truly satisfy us.
Desire begins to increase within us to be drawn away to a place where we can feel His heartbeat, to see His face, and to know the things that please Him. But the depths of this longing go far beyond our ability to pursue and obtain fulfillment. By nature we are averse to press in to the depths of His love, while our spirit is willing our flesh is weak. We have not yet attained to a maturity and discipline to quiet our soul and posture our heart before His Living Flame of Love which is the only place where true contentment can be found. We are constantly pulled in multiple directions from a society embedded in entertainment. And then there are desires for titles, positions in ministry, or economic status. The list goes on-and-on of things that are contending for our affections and time, but at the end of the day all these things leave us unsatisfied.
Therefore we must pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to “draw us after Him” - deeper into the center of His heart, to overpower the world and the flesh that entice us away from Him. We must pray continually to be drawn away from all other loves that contend for our affections and attention; we need His anointing and grace to follow after Him with all our heart, mind, and soul.
We are created for deep intimate union with the Lord; He calls Himself a Bridegroom, which reveals to us that He is the one who is pursuing us. At the very core of our being there is a longing to know the fire of His love in a place of deep intimate union; this is what we were made for!
The Lord loves to draw us close to Himself, He says “…I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3) Let us confess our weakness and inadequacies to pursue our Bridegroom God and call upon His passionate desire for us to draw us after Him.
Devotional Prayer
Draw me after You my Beloved; draw me away from the distractions of this life that try to steal my affections that rightly belong to You. Draw me away from worthless things that have the deceptive appearance of fulfillment and joy; for only in You can I truly know fulfillment and purpose to my life. I long to keep Your commandment to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, but how I need your anointing that enables me to fulfill this desires of my heart. My life vision is found in giving You pleasure and belonging to You. Draw me after You, deep into Your heart.
Desire begins to increase within us to be drawn away to a place where we can feel His heartbeat, to see His face, and to know the things that please Him. But the depths of this longing go far beyond our ability to pursue and obtain fulfillment. By nature we are averse to press in to the depths of His love, while our spirit is willing our flesh is weak. We have not yet attained to a maturity and discipline to quiet our soul and posture our heart before His Living Flame of Love which is the only place where true contentment can be found. We are constantly pulled in multiple directions from a society embedded in entertainment. And then there are desires for titles, positions in ministry, or economic status. The list goes on-and-on of things that are contending for our affections and time, but at the end of the day all these things leave us unsatisfied.
Therefore we must pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to “draw us after Him” - deeper into the center of His heart, to overpower the world and the flesh that entice us away from Him. We must pray continually to be drawn away from all other loves that contend for our affections and attention; we need His anointing and grace to follow after Him with all our heart, mind, and soul.
We are created for deep intimate union with the Lord; He calls Himself a Bridegroom, which reveals to us that He is the one who is pursuing us. At the very core of our being there is a longing to know the fire of His love in a place of deep intimate union; this is what we were made for!
The Lord loves to draw us close to Himself, He says “…I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3) Let us confess our weakness and inadequacies to pursue our Bridegroom God and call upon His passionate desire for us to draw us after Him.
Devotional Prayer
Draw me after You my Beloved; draw me away from the distractions of this life that try to steal my affections that rightly belong to You. Draw me away from worthless things that have the deceptive appearance of fulfillment and joy; for only in You can I truly know fulfillment and purpose to my life. I long to keep Your commandment to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, but how I need your anointing that enables me to fulfill this desires of my heart. My life vision is found in giving You pleasure and belonging to You. Draw me after You, deep into Your heart.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:3 Therefore the maidens love You.
The revelation of God’s love that is revealed through “The kisses of His mouth” produces a love back to God; “We love Him because He first loved us” (1John 4:19) And the Name of our Beloved, His character and nature revealed through the Cross and His faithful leadership in our lives invokes love within us. We all begin by being drawn by His love, but how we mature in our relationship varies in each individual.
The “maidens” in the Song of Solomon are not the bride; they represent immature believers who choose to follow at a distance. Because they don’t have the same dedication they will never attain to the level of maturity and intimacy with the Beloved as the bride. Mark 4:3-20 is a parable about how this "seed" of love, the Word, sown in our heart produces different results. There are some who have the seed “taken away by the evil one” because they did not understand it. (Matt 13:19) Others receive the “Kiss of His Word” immediately with joy, yet because they have not cultivated a “firm root” they abandon their pursuit of the Beloved when “persecutions arise because of the Word.” There are some who have this seed sown in their heart, but they are consumed with the affairs of this life; they are deceived by the riches of this world. The desire for other things enters in and “chokes” the word and it becomes unfruitful.
Then there are those who nurture the precious gift of His kisses. These individuals consider His love to be better than all the pleasures the world has to offer. They seek to know His emotions and desires and meditate on the passions of His heart. Like Mary, they choose the “One thing” above all other things in this life; that one thing being an intimate relationship with the One who calls us His bride, His perfect one. He says to those who pursue this intimacy, “You are altogether lovely and there is no blemish in you” Song of Solomon 4:7
Jesus then said in Mark 4:24-25 “Take care what you listen to…for whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him” When He releases the fire of His love upon our heart we need to aggressively guard the flame from being extinguished by the “desire for other things” We must make time to posture our hearts before Him and allow His living flame of love to consume all other loves until He alone is our “One thing.” The choices we make in our everyday lives will determine if we are going to live like a maiden or a bride.
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, I pray for an anointing to keep a marriage covenant with the Bridegroom God; to love You with all my heart, all my mind, and all my strength. I want to pursue You like a bride in love, and not from a distance like the maidens. I set myself apart for You, making a covenant with my eyes and the things I look at; with my heart and my affections; with the words of my mouth and with my thoughts. I long to walk in purity before You as I am learning that “I am my Beloveds and His desire is for me.”
The “maidens” in the Song of Solomon are not the bride; they represent immature believers who choose to follow at a distance. Because they don’t have the same dedication they will never attain to the level of maturity and intimacy with the Beloved as the bride. Mark 4:3-20 is a parable about how this "seed" of love, the Word, sown in our heart produces different results. There are some who have the seed “taken away by the evil one” because they did not understand it. (Matt 13:19) Others receive the “Kiss of His Word” immediately with joy, yet because they have not cultivated a “firm root” they abandon their pursuit of the Beloved when “persecutions arise because of the Word.” There are some who have this seed sown in their heart, but they are consumed with the affairs of this life; they are deceived by the riches of this world. The desire for other things enters in and “chokes” the word and it becomes unfruitful.
Then there are those who nurture the precious gift of His kisses. These individuals consider His love to be better than all the pleasures the world has to offer. They seek to know His emotions and desires and meditate on the passions of His heart. Like Mary, they choose the “One thing” above all other things in this life; that one thing being an intimate relationship with the One who calls us His bride, His perfect one. He says to those who pursue this intimacy, “You are altogether lovely and there is no blemish in you” Song of Solomon 4:7
Jesus then said in Mark 4:24-25 “Take care what you listen to…for whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him” When He releases the fire of His love upon our heart we need to aggressively guard the flame from being extinguished by the “desire for other things” We must make time to posture our hearts before Him and allow His living flame of love to consume all other loves until He alone is our “One thing.” The choices we make in our everyday lives will determine if we are going to live like a maiden or a bride.
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, I pray for an anointing to keep a marriage covenant with the Bridegroom God; to love You with all my heart, all my mind, and all my strength. I want to pursue You like a bride in love, and not from a distance like the maidens. I set myself apart for You, making a covenant with my eyes and the things I look at; with my heart and my affections; with the words of my mouth and with my thoughts. I long to walk in purity before You as I am learning that “I am my Beloveds and His desire is for me.”
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:3 Your Name is ointment poured forth (NKJV)
Oh the beautiful name of Jesus! Just to say His name brings pleasure to our heart. “His name is ointment poured forth” is referring to the nature and character of Jesus revealed in His activities. In the Hebrew culture One’s name represented their character and inner person. When we meditate on what Jesus accomplished on the Cross, how He rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and brought us into an eternal relationship as His bride, it is like a sweet perfume poured forth.
Just think about Jesus, in the beginning with God, He was God but He made Himself of no reputation and took the form of a bondservant as He came to earth in the likeness of men. Our God humbled himself and became obedient to suffer death on the cross, defeating sin and death so that we might live with Him forever. Therefore God has given Jesus the name that is above every name. (John 1:1, Philippians 2:6-9)
When we begin to understand the passion of His heart to have us with Him forever without end our heart is awakened to a deeper fervor of love. When we vaguely grasp the power of His blood He poured out to makes us pure, spotless, and holy, and the power of His resurrection that we might walk in newness of life so that we can be in constant fellowship with Him, we can’t help but abandon ourselves to His infinite love. It is almost unfathomable to consider that we are His temple, the place where the Holy Spirit lives; that we are joined to the Lord, one spirit with Him. This is a real life “Cinderella” story and we are the prize of the great Prince!
“On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)
“I have made Your name known to them…that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26)
“…you were washed; you were sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Devotional Prayer
Jesus, Your name is the sweetest name in all the earth. Your name, Yeshua, Savior, Emmanuel, Your name revealing the depths of Your love and passion for me. Jesus, help me to quiet my heart and meditate on the greatness of Your love for me. Let me gaze upon Your beauty, I need to see the fire in Your eyes. I want to catch even a glimpse of the King of all Kings, and to know I belong to You. Increase my understanding of Your passion displayed on the cross, and to recognize Your leadership in every moment of my life. How pleasant and how fragrant is Your name!
Just think about Jesus, in the beginning with God, He was God but He made Himself of no reputation and took the form of a bondservant as He came to earth in the likeness of men. Our God humbled himself and became obedient to suffer death on the cross, defeating sin and death so that we might live with Him forever. Therefore God has given Jesus the name that is above every name. (John 1:1, Philippians 2:6-9)
When we begin to understand the passion of His heart to have us with Him forever without end our heart is awakened to a deeper fervor of love. When we vaguely grasp the power of His blood He poured out to makes us pure, spotless, and holy, and the power of His resurrection that we might walk in newness of life so that we can be in constant fellowship with Him, we can’t help but abandon ourselves to His infinite love. It is almost unfathomable to consider that we are His temple, the place where the Holy Spirit lives; that we are joined to the Lord, one spirit with Him. This is a real life “Cinderella” story and we are the prize of the great Prince!
“On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)
“I have made Your name known to them…that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26)
“…you were washed; you were sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Devotional Prayer
Jesus, Your name is the sweetest name in all the earth. Your name, Yeshua, Savior, Emmanuel, Your name revealing the depths of Your love and passion for me. Jesus, help me to quiet my heart and meditate on the greatness of Your love for me. Let me gaze upon Your beauty, I need to see the fire in Your eyes. I want to catch even a glimpse of the King of all Kings, and to know I belong to You. Increase my understanding of Your passion displayed on the cross, and to recognize Your leadership in every moment of my life. How pleasant and how fragrant is Your name!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:3 – Your oils have a pleasing fragrance (NAS)
The fragrant oils of Jesus refer to His thought life. His oils or perfume (NIV) speaks of what He thinks and what He feels. In verse two we prayed for a greater understanding of His emotions and affections for us, now we proclaim that the knowledge of His passions and pleasure in us are a sweet fragrance. His love for us has an intoxicating aroma.
Fragrances affect our senses. In recent years there has been a growing resurgence to the practice of Aromatherapy. The use of essential oils for one’s psychological and physical well-being is dated back thousands of years. If the oils from plants and trees can have an impact to our natural senses how much more of a profound impact do the oils from experiencing Jesus’ passionate affections have on our spirit. His thoughts and emotions toward us is a sweet fragrance; the knowledge of the depths of His love brings healing to our being: spirit, soul and body. We are changed from the inside out!
Meditate on what He thinks and feels about you:
“…Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You.. they are more than can be numbered” Psalm 40:5
“As high as the heavens are above the earth so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him” Psalm 103:11
“…I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” Jerimiah 31:3
“…you shall be called Hephzibah… for the LORD delights in you” Isaiah 62:4
“…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” Isaiah 62:5
“…you will call Me ‘My Husband’ and no longer call Me ‘My Master.’” Hosea 2:16
“I will betroth you to Me forever…I will betroth you to Me in lovingkindness and mercy" Hosea 2:19-20
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am…” John 17:24
He calls us holy, blameless, spotless, chosen, His special treasure. We are His beloved, His bride, His inheritance. We are His desire and He longs to be with us. Every page of His Word is filled with the sweet fragrance of His affections and thoughts for us. His thoughts toward me, like fragrant oil, penetrate deep into my spirit making me whole. At times I can’t contain the joy that arises from the reality of these truths.
Devotional Prayer
As I meditate on the words You speak over me, that Your thoughts toward me are innumerable and Your love for me has no measurement, I am overcome by the fragrance of these truths. Though it is intangible, my spirit senses a sweet aroma when You declare Your delight in me. There is no greater fragrance found in the entire world than the fragrance of Your Word. It is so pure and sweet. I thank You Father that You always lead us in Your victory and manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Jesus. (2 Cor 2:14)
Fragrances affect our senses. In recent years there has been a growing resurgence to the practice of Aromatherapy. The use of essential oils for one’s psychological and physical well-being is dated back thousands of years. If the oils from plants and trees can have an impact to our natural senses how much more of a profound impact do the oils from experiencing Jesus’ passionate affections have on our spirit. His thoughts and emotions toward us is a sweet fragrance; the knowledge of the depths of His love brings healing to our being: spirit, soul and body. We are changed from the inside out!
Meditate on what He thinks and feels about you:
“…Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You.. they are more than can be numbered” Psalm 40:5
“As high as the heavens are above the earth so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him” Psalm 103:11
“…I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” Jerimiah 31:3
“…you shall be called Hephzibah… for the LORD delights in you” Isaiah 62:4
“…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” Isaiah 62:5
“…you will call Me ‘My Husband’ and no longer call Me ‘My Master.’” Hosea 2:16
“I will betroth you to Me forever…I will betroth you to Me in lovingkindness and mercy" Hosea 2:19-20
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am…” John 17:24
He calls us holy, blameless, spotless, chosen, His special treasure. We are His beloved, His bride, His inheritance. We are His desire and He longs to be with us. Every page of His Word is filled with the sweet fragrance of His affections and thoughts for us. His thoughts toward me, like fragrant oil, penetrate deep into my spirit making me whole. At times I can’t contain the joy that arises from the reality of these truths.
Devotional Prayer
As I meditate on the words You speak over me, that Your thoughts toward me are innumerable and Your love for me has no measurement, I am overcome by the fragrance of these truths. Though it is intangible, my spirit senses a sweet aroma when You declare Your delight in me. There is no greater fragrance found in the entire world than the fragrance of Your Word. It is so pure and sweet. I thank You Father that You always lead us in Your victory and manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Jesus. (2 Cor 2:14)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:2 – For Your love is better than wine
The revelation of God’s pleasure in us as we experience the “kisses of His mouth” has a powerful impact on our heart. When we drink of the wine of His love our desires for the lesser pleasures of the world begin to diminish.
Drinking wine makes the heart glad. In this verse the metaphor of wine speaks of the pleasures the world has to offer, both good God ordained pleasure and satan’s counterfeit pleasures of sin. God’s love is more powerful to the human spirit than any other pleasure this world can offer. God created us with longings to experience pleasure. The longing for pleasure is not sinful; finding our pleasure in unrighteousness is what is sinful. The longing for pleasure draws me to God; He is the ultimate source of pleasure. “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore” Ps 16:11 Only God can fully satisfy the deep desires in me.
There have always been those who would argue that we should not seek to “experience” His pleasure or “feel” His love. These individuals seldom seem to reflect a life that is overflowing with joy and often burnout from task oriented service. In contrast, those who “drink from the river of His pleasures” (Ps 36:8) and experience God’s passionate love and enjoyment in them are awakened to a new fervor to pursue deeper intimacy with the Lover of their soul. Experiencing this kind of love is what we were made for; having our heart touched by the Flame of His love is the essence of life. As a result of our encounters with Him our hearts overflow with joy and we have a deeper love for others.
We must press in to know the truths of God’s emotions, His passions, and His desire for us and to know the pleasure of this all consuming fiery love that far exceeds every other pleasure we could experience.
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, thank You that created me with desire to feel pleasure and You beckon me to come and drink of the pleasures of Your love. To experience Your love upon my heart is the greatest pleasure I have ever known; it far exceeds all other pleasure in this life. I ask You for deeper encounters of Your passionate love for me so I would never again be satisfied with the lesser pleasures of this world.
Drinking wine makes the heart glad. In this verse the metaphor of wine speaks of the pleasures the world has to offer, both good God ordained pleasure and satan’s counterfeit pleasures of sin. God’s love is more powerful to the human spirit than any other pleasure this world can offer. God created us with longings to experience pleasure. The longing for pleasure is not sinful; finding our pleasure in unrighteousness is what is sinful. The longing for pleasure draws me to God; He is the ultimate source of pleasure. “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore” Ps 16:11 Only God can fully satisfy the deep desires in me.
There have always been those who would argue that we should not seek to “experience” His pleasure or “feel” His love. These individuals seldom seem to reflect a life that is overflowing with joy and often burnout from task oriented service. In contrast, those who “drink from the river of His pleasures” (Ps 36:8) and experience God’s passionate love and enjoyment in them are awakened to a new fervor to pursue deeper intimacy with the Lover of their soul. Experiencing this kind of love is what we were made for; having our heart touched by the Flame of His love is the essence of life. As a result of our encounters with Him our hearts overflow with joy and we have a deeper love for others.
We must press in to know the truths of God’s emotions, His passions, and His desire for us and to know the pleasure of this all consuming fiery love that far exceeds every other pleasure we could experience.
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, thank You that created me with desire to feel pleasure and You beckon me to come and drink of the pleasures of Your love. To experience Your love upon my heart is the greatest pleasure I have ever known; it far exceeds all other pleasure in this life. I ask You for deeper encounters of Your passionate love for me so I would never again be satisfied with the lesser pleasures of this world.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:2 - Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth
In the language of love, this verse speaks of our heart’s cry for the Holy Spirit to reveal the deep passions and affections that Jesus has for us. God’s love is all consuming, He has deep desires for us, He takes pleasure and enjoyment in us, and He delights in us!
The kisses of His mouth refer of the kisses of His Word. Rabbis have referred to the “kisses of His mouth” in this verse as the “kiss of the Torah”. The theme of the Song is the Bride’s cry for the kiss of God’s Word to touch the deepest places of her heart. God’s Word reveals His emotions and affections for us and awakens our heart to His love.
1 John 4:19 states that “We love Him because He first loved us” This verse came alive to me recently after someone prayed over me and made the declaration “You will love Him because He first loved you.” There was an awakening in my spirit that all the longing, desire, passion, and love I have for God was a result of His longing, desire, passion and love that He has for me. I enjoy God’s presence more than anything in life, but to think that He enjoys me more than I enjoy Him is staggering to my mind! Jesus said that “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you” (Jn 15:9) God loving God, the Father loving the Son, is the measure Jesus used to describe His love for us.
The Holy Spirit wants us to experience His affections, to feel enjoyed and delighted in by God. “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 5:5) As we are awakened to His love for us our heart overflows with love back to Him. There is nothing more satisfying to my spirit than to feel overcome with love for God; when I feel ruined for anything else in life but to worship Him and give Him the deepest affections of my heart.
Holy Spirit come and kiss my heart with revelation from Your Word of how deep the love of God is for me. I want to experience Your affections and passions in a deeper way. I want to feel Your desire for me and know how much You enjoy me. Increase my capacity for more of You as I mature in intimacy with You. Living Flame of Love touch the deepest places of my heart; let me see what You see and feel what You feel about me. Let intimacy with You be the highest purpose of my life; let it define who I am.
The kisses of His mouth refer of the kisses of His Word. Rabbis have referred to the “kisses of His mouth” in this verse as the “kiss of the Torah”. The theme of the Song is the Bride’s cry for the kiss of God’s Word to touch the deepest places of her heart. God’s Word reveals His emotions and affections for us and awakens our heart to His love.
1 John 4:19 states that “We love Him because He first loved us” This verse came alive to me recently after someone prayed over me and made the declaration “You will love Him because He first loved you.” There was an awakening in my spirit that all the longing, desire, passion, and love I have for God was a result of His longing, desire, passion and love that He has for me. I enjoy God’s presence more than anything in life, but to think that He enjoys me more than I enjoy Him is staggering to my mind! Jesus said that “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you” (Jn 15:9) God loving God, the Father loving the Son, is the measure Jesus used to describe His love for us.
The Holy Spirit wants us to experience His affections, to feel enjoyed and delighted in by God. “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 5:5) As we are awakened to His love for us our heart overflows with love back to Him. There is nothing more satisfying to my spirit than to feel overcome with love for God; when I feel ruined for anything else in life but to worship Him and give Him the deepest affections of my heart.
Holy Spirit come and kiss my heart with revelation from Your Word of how deep the love of God is for me. I want to experience Your affections and passions in a deeper way. I want to feel Your desire for me and know how much You enjoy me. Increase my capacity for more of You as I mature in intimacy with You. Living Flame of Love touch the deepest places of my heart; let me see what You see and feel what You feel about me. Let intimacy with You be the highest purpose of my life; let it define who I am.
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