MINE ALL MINE

Tonight's Read: Song of Songs

As I read God's word tonight, I read it as a love letter to me. Not a generic letter to the world, but a specific letter to me. What a beautiful love story! I am learning how to trust this God who I have heard about all my life; this God who waited patiently for me while I rebelled against Him by selfishly indulging in my own desires for my life. I have tried my way and I have been left with destruction that runs so deep that I will always have scars that remain. He has been gently tending to these wounds of mine for some time now. Even while I was trying to self medicate with a laundry list of destructive and fruitless efforts, He was still there, unbeknownst to me. The reality is, while I can learn to trust Him to heal these wounds in my heart that are a result of my own selfish rebellion, I will have scars to bear even after the healing. But there is so much beauty in knowing that He bears scars as well.

I have long wanted to fully know the 'the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39) But I filled my heart with so many things, worthless things, that there was no room left for the love that He offers. In order for me to take hold of His great love for me, I first had to be willing to empty out all the other stuff that was residing in what should be His place---my heart. When I read Song of Songs tonight, I heard His whispers, or rather, shouts, of love to me. These verses ripple into the eternity of my heart "How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!" (1:15) and "Arise my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me." (2:10)

What I'm hearing the Lord speak to me is this: "Don't you know that I have always loved you? You are precious and perfect to me. I long to have you near to me. Come with me now, waste no time, and come to be with me." My heart simultaneously leaps for joy and brims with fulfillment at hearing the God of the Universe speak this love poem into my spirit. He pays no mind to my rebellious past or my forever scars. He insists that I waste no time and worry about nothing, but only to come to Him without regard for anything else.

This love, this lover, this love letter-- is mine. I find so much beauty in the tenderness of this truth. Yes, 'God so loved the world' (John 3:16). But, what this means though, is that God loved me. One tough thing about His love for me, for us, is that it is intangible and invisible. I cannot capture a photograph of it to share with someone who doesn't know Him and His love. It must be experienced to be understood. But, man oh man, how sweet His love is, truly.

If I could tell the world one thing and one thing only, it would be this: "Please, I beg of you, come near to this gentle lover. You will never believe His love for you. Please, come taste and see that He is good."


Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."

Sweet Lord, thank you that your love is mine. Thank you that your love is so great that there is enough for the whole world and still enough left over for me. Your love is so sweet and brings me so much joy and peace. I praise you for that. I pray Lord, that I can be used as a reflection of your love to people in this world who do not yet know how you love them, too.