It's true!
Smitten! In love.
This month I have fallen in love with Jesus in a whole new way. I know … I get it.. kinda sounds cheesy. But I can’t help it. God has shown His deep, passionate, furious love for me in a new way. I grew up knowing He loved me and singing songs about His love for me. But He has shown me how His jealous, romantic love for me and His children is from before time began.
One of my prayers from before the race started was for a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him. And this month he has taken me to a deeper level of His love. I’ve read about how He is our bridegroom and we the church are His bride. But to be honest- I’ve never really grasped what the means. At times I’ve even thought it just sounds kinda weird to me. God, my husband? Really? Slightly interesting thought, right?
He has opened my eyes and changed my perspective on this concept. He has shown me how He is my Bridegroom and His desire is to have a sacred union with me.
The first week in Rwanda I was asked to speak at a wedding. I have never been more nervous in my life to speak. I had met the couple the night before and I was told I would be provided with a “rented traditional Rwandan dress” to wear for this special occasion. I had no clue what I was going to say and I was even looking for ways out of it. I was a mess.
One day I was looking through our contacts bookshelf and came across this book called “Burning Desire” by SJ Hill and I highly recommend it. It opened my eyes to this new perspective of God’s love for us. God began human history with a wedding and He will conclude it with a sacred union between Christ and the Church. The bridal theme is truly the heart of the scriptures. He created man for intimacy with Himself.
It was time. I changed into my rented dress the morning of the wedding- and for a second I thought I was going to a Toga party! I still had no clue what I was gonna say and how I was gonna do it wearing this dress!
But I knew God wanted me to share His heart on marriage. Not only marriage between man and woman but the union between Him and His church. Weddings are such a gift. It’s the ultimate picture of His love and divine union with us.
“For this reason a man will leave his father and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:31
Two becoming one. This is a crazy mystery. But the Lord desires us to become ONE with Him. Just how the man must leave his family- so must I leave everything to become one with my Savior.
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know You- the only true God and, Jesus Christ, whom you have sent”
This “know” in original greek language is speaking of an intimate knowing– the same in which Adam knew his wife Eve.
He wants us to know Him INTIMATLY.
I never saw the passage in Exodus 19 as a bridal imagery between the Lord and Israel until now.
Exodus 19:18, “Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire…the whole mountain trembled violently.”
“Fascination is the very essence of the fear of the Lord. The awe and humility when faced with the beauty of God defines fear. It’s the sense of WONDER that awakens one’s heart to the knowledge of who God really is.”
Exodus 19:18 displays God’s firey- passion- splendor – fury to captivate Israel to be fascinated with Him- that she would never give her heart to others lovers.
So the divine dilemma is how does the Lord captivate the heart of human begins without consuming them with His splendor? How does He just be Himself without overwhelming them or even destroying them?
Ohhhh, how God loves us sooo much! I can go on and on.. but I’ll just stop there for now!
I pray that God will reveal His deep, crazy love for you in a NEW way today!
That you will be captivated and overwhelmed by His love for you!
Here are some pics from the wedding!
