I have a friend who has three cats...and a husband who is severely allergic to cats. The fact that he cannot breathe has finally brought her to consider giving away one of the cats (yes, only one). There is deep affection for the felines, to say the least. A family observer noted:
“I’m afraid that she holds onto the cats, literally, as her affection; affection that she should be giving her husband. In the meantime, she robs both her and her husband of true affection.”
Then Jesus asked me: “Who are you holding to, literally, as your source of affection; affection that should be Mine. In the meantime, you are robbing both Me and you of true affection.”
The King now has my complete attention.
He is not abstract. He is not a fantasy. He is not a dream. He is mine and I am His. He is my affection and I am His. He is my desire and I am His. He is my love and I am His. He is my Covenant and I am His.
He is a jealous God; am I jealous girl? (Joshua 24:19) Do I guard my heart from anything that robs me of His incredible love song and tender hold? Do I remember His intimate love that is closer than every breath I breathe?
He places people, creation, delights and desires as reminders and reflections of His affections in my life; never as replacements, never as robbers, never as idols – even for a moment. He is a God who blesses and lives to delight my life with gifts from His hand, but He is a jealous God who will crush idols that keep me from Him. He was crushed, so that they are crushed. He’s that serious about it.
These are not light words, these are words of death and life, love and ecstasy, passion and desire. All of this, done by Him, so that an entirely new life of Reality could me mine: love and affection that never stops, never sleeps, always holds, always sings, always delights and desires…me. The choice is always mine, at every moment. How much I rob MYSELF from when I seek any other; how much I rob my Love, when I turn my eyes to gaze from His face. All because I do not believe a moment I cannot see? Do you know such loss? Do you know such love?
“He will tell you what He needs from you. Beyond what He needs, all He wants is for you to embrace Him and talk to Him.” – Beth Moore, Jesus the One and Only, a fictional account of Elizabeth’s advice to her cousin and mother of her Lord, Mary.
Unveiled. Unraveled. Known. Loved.
Enjoy Him, Michelle
mlpack1@yahoo.com
mlpack1@yahoo.com