Sunday, January 2, 2011

Radically in Love

I think if there was only one thing God wanted us as young adults to “grasp” it would be how intimately, deeply and fervently He is in love with you and me. If you have ever been in a romantic relationship, or had a crush on someone, you will know how easily you can obsess and focus on that one individual. You want to know everything about them! You love talking to them, anticipate their phone calls and desire only to spend more time with them. You can never get enough. And eventually you know everything from their favorite foods, to family’s names, to adored hobbies. But on a relationship level, after even a short period of time, you come to know not just things about them, but you get to know them as a person. After time and investment, you discover their passions, what hurts the most, their dreams but you also learn to recognize their voice, identify their fragrance and you learn to read each other, so with no words spoken, your looks can say a thousand words. It’s the same way with God. He already knows us fully, is passionate about us and pursues and watches over us daily. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart . . .” (Isaiah 40: 11). He even knows every hair on our head (Matthew 10:30). But not only that, we are also the very apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8) the center of His vision, someone very, very important to the Creator. “ . . . I have engraved you on the palms of my hands . . .” (Isaaiah 49:16) He cannot love us anymore! He already loves us completely and fully! But He is waiting on us to acknowledge Him, accept the truth that He loves us, get to know that love and love Him in return. And boy is He excited for us to make Him our priority pursuit! As we yearn for and take pleasure in earthly relationships, God’s heart is after us in the same way or even more! As young adults, we receive lots of messages, both good and bad. But I think if we would stop and listen to the only Voice that really matters, God would say the following: “Come away with me, my beloved. Come dance with me. Stop your busyness. Those things can wait. But talk to me. Listen to me. Sit and watch the sunset with me, my demonstration of love for you. And let me tell you how crazy I am about you. I am amazed by you. You are my pleasure. I have only good things in store for you and I long for you to be close to me. I am waiting here . . . right in front of you, waiting for you to acknowledge me and spend time with me. Come. Get to know Me better. And fall in love with me . . . I have so much I want to reveal to you! I love YOU!” Jeremiah 1:5 says “Before I [God] formed you in the womb I knew [or chose] you . . .” Now the choice is up to you and me – will we choose God a “The Lord your God is with you . . . He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17) “ . . . my unfailing love for you will not be shaken” (Isaiah 54:10) “You . . . the apple of his eye” (Zechariah 2:8). “The very hairs of your head are all numbered . . .” Matt 10:30 “The Lord . . . is my strength and my song . . .” (Isaiah 1:2)