Today-just for today. Despite whatever depressing news you heard over morning coffee, whatever editorial piece of discouragement popped up on your computer screen, whatever hardship is developing with your kids as they get ready for school; God wants to be completely and fully with you. He wants you to know that his heart grieves and breaks when you are in pain. His deep and eternal longing is to be in constant communication, fellowship, and presence with us- and for us to know is unending love!
I just finished reading the Song of Songs or Song of Solomon. Such poetic love imagery captured in our Holy book. Maybe it’s a story about Solomon and his Shulamite wife. Maybe it is an allegory of God’s love for Israel, his chosen people. But more so in our day, it reminds us that God is passionate for his creation-all of it. As in the prodigal son parable, He is sprinting after us with arms wide open. Despite our brokenness, our hurt, maybe even our rebellion, he pursues us with a love and desire to be with us that we can never fathom or recognize. His desire is to put right and put together what was originally broken in Eden’s garden.
Today-just for today, close your eyes-just for a moment, and imagine being wrapped in the arms of God your perfect and holy Father. Wrapped in arms of protection, wrapped in arms of security, wrapped in arms of love that plunges to the depths of the deepest ocean and peaks at the highest mountain. Imagine Him looking down at you and saying, softly and tenderly, “Child, I love you. Rest and sleep.”
And here’s a poem I found in Brennan Manning’s book “The Furious Longing of God”
You are blessed! God’s desire is for you. And
Jesus is the incarnation of God’s furious
longing. He is your supreme Lover. It’s true.
You are blessed. Your soul’s winter is over.
The snows are over and gone. Flowers are
blooming inside of you. The season
of joyful songs has come. To you.
You are blessed! The love of God is folly. No
one is excluded. All (really!) are called to
the banquet table. Come, and be filled.
You are blessed! Be-YOU-ti-ful. Be
you. Just be. Love supports you.
You are blessed! You have learned
the purpose of life: LOVE.
You are blessed! You can pray like
a child, and enjoy God.
You are blessed! Heal, and be healed. Reclaim
affirmations for the kingdom of God.
Amen, Amen, Amen
Peace be with you!
lisa
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