So much talk about Abiding in the Vine for weeks-- who would have thought that we would need to know what that really means? Weeks ago God told us to Focus on Abiding in the Vine. Then He went on to share with us these past weeks about what it looks when we do--however somewhere along the way we shifted our focus or maybe didn't quite know what He was asking us to do. Today He made it clear...Song of Solomon 6:3, "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." He wants a deep intimate relationship with us. He wants us to live every day with Him (Abide).
The story of the Jewish heart speaks about this love that God desires with us stating that, "True love, represents a mind-to-mind, face-to-face, eye-to-eye, body-to-body, soul-to-soul connection". This kind of connection can only happen if we allow ourselves to be totally vulnerable, taking down all facades, opening ourselves completely to our God. To be fully known and yet know that we are fully loved. And to get to the place of fully loving Him right back. The oneness we so want and yet so often feel like we don't deserve.
Today is the 1st of Elul and the first day of the 40 Days of Awe. God desires that during these next 40 days we would Return to an intimate and pure love relationship or if we have never really had one--turn to Him for the first time--taking the first step towards a love relationship that although we may have not known but have always wanted. He is "in the field" as it were--the place where it's easy to get to Him--standing with His arms open just waiting for you. There is no need to get all your life in perfect order or try and be good enough in order come to Him and accept His love. He has reminded us more than once in Song of Solomon 7:10, "I am my beloved's and His desire is toward me." He wants us to understand that His desire is completely and totally toward us.
Yeshua (Jesus) proved His love for us when He was mocked, He was beaten beyond recognition, He was hung on a cross--the most gruesome kind of death at that time, He took upon Himself our sin and for the first time in His life experienced separation from Father God and then died that we might live! He did that while we weren't anywhere near perfect--when we were yet sinners. That kind of love He has for you and me and has been waiting for us to simply accept it and begin a lifelong love relationship with Him. He is looking for His Bride to Return to this love relationship with Him during this next 40 days.
My hope is that each of you felt God's love drawing you, calling you to a deeper and more intimate love than you've known. It's available to all of us right now. Thank you for sharing your heart openly before one another. I know that as each of us truly loves God with all of our being as the first and greatest commandment says we are to do, we will then be able to do the second greatest commandment and we will love others as ourself.
Will you choose to leave the past behind and Return to the One who desires a love relationship with you--truly focusing on Abiding with Him every day?
Do you see repentance/return differently than before? If so, how?
What does "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" mean to you now?
What does loving your neighbor as yourself mean to you now?
Share with us an aha moment that you had through the message.
