My friend Alex was reading to me from a book of poetry entitled Love Poems From God- it's a book describing certain people's intimate relationship with the Lord. She read a lot that day, and then we came across this, from St. Francis of Assisi:
God came to my house and asked for charity
And I fell to my knees
And cried, "Beloved, what may I give?"
"Just love," He said.
"Just love."
And it really hit me: if the Lord showed up and asked me for something, what would my response be? Would I be quick to call Him my Love, and offer anything I had? Would I be fearful, and selfishly hide the things I didn't want to give up? Would I be angry, and ask why He didn't call before He knocked on my door because perhaps I had other plans?
Reading this book, and hearing about someone else's incredibly intimate relationship with Jesus- it really tore at my soul. Do I call the Lord Beloved? If I do, do I really mean it…and is the proof in our day-to-day interactions? Do I really act like Jesus is the Lover of my soul? Do I allow Him to romance me, to pursue me, to call me into new life? And how do I respond when He does (and He does) chase after me?
I want a warmth with the Lord that I don't share with anyone else. I want to call Him Beloved and mean it. I want to spend more time with Him than anyone else…or anything else. I want, when He shows up and asks something of me, to give Him whatever is His heart's desire… and more.
And I answered
Resoundingly…
Passionately…
Unhesitatingly…
"Yes, Love."
