It's A Mystery..

Passion. Romance. Love. We long for it, we crave it, we desire it; no one is exempt.  It’s part of our very being.  At some point, we all look to find that in an imperfect human being.  As we grow up, many fall in love and are blessed with the gift of marriage.  A marriage, as it should be is to be fun and exciting, a friendship ornamented with romance.  We want that passionate affair.  We love being wooed, romanced, fancied, and so on.  It’s something we can’t deny or get away from.  It’s a pursuit, this life.  You see, God created us, men and women, to have a yearning for these things. He created us to yearn for a relationship, yearn for someone to love and love us for who we are.  Some spend their lives longing, searching, and waiting for someone who can satisfy that need.  It’s in our blood, our heart’s desire.  The fact of the matter is, God wants us to have this desire, but for HIM!  We were created for a relationship with Him.  Many would say that he or she understands this, but do you really?

            God doesn’t need us, but thankfully He wants us.  He loves us, so He pursues us.  He is so passionate about us, so He has given us the chance of the romance of a lifetime, far greater than any other.  Sometimes I feel people tend to look at the Christian walk as a life of rules, regulations, or just something one has to do to get to heaven.  Christians, is that the way you see it or do you see it for what it truly is; a divine romance, the perfect love affair, a life of complete satisfaction and joy?  Is your relationship with God exciting, enough, or worth it?  Or do we so many times look for this astounding, perfect love in someone else, possibly without even realizing it?

            Let me draw your attention to a man, a man like none other, from my personal point of view.  This man thought I was worth everything.  I didn’t even know him then, but he sure knew me.  I didn’t deserve to know him, but he knew exactly what I needed and what it would cost him to fulfill my need.  He chose to bear death on a cross for ME!?  You see, the cross is not just a gruesome death story; it’s so much more.  It encases much more meaning to me now than it ever has.  It was a proposal from Jesus to me.  It was God’s way of showing His unconditional, agape love toward me, His beckoning call for me, a perfectly clear display of 1 Corinthians 13.  It was the undeniable, passionate love of one man stretched out between three nails.  It was the ultimate proposal, the ultimate sacrifice so that I could have that perfect romance my heart longs for.  Those were my lashes, my nails, my thorns, my very death on that cross, but instead Jesus took what I deserved and dressed me in a white gown of forgiveness.  He died because HE LOVES ME! “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.  I think I tend to forget how extravagant His love for me is.  Talk about passion and love; it can’t get any better.

            This story of the cross brings me back to my point.  I feel like many of us, as Christians, are missing out.  We get so caught up in our own lives and tangible relationships, or even just the theological aspect of Christianity (which isn’t bad and definitely needed) that we forget the relational aspect, the romance, the enjoyment.  God, so much wants us to enjoy Him and be totally, completely, madly in love with Him.  He woos us constantly!  Just look up, look down, and look all around you.  His creation is so exorbitant and beautiful that it can’t help but be a display of affection towards us.  Being in His holy presence surpasses any date I’ve ever been on, the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever seen, the sweetest engagement proposal ever, and so on. Just remembering what He did for me back on Calvary never fails to capture my heart, more so than any other man will ever have the ability to.  His love continually takes my breath away.  He makes me weak at the knees to the point where sometimes all I can do is kneel before Him in awe.  He gives me the chills and sometimes brings me to a loss for words. 

            The point I’m trying to get across to you is the King has already made His proposal; the question is what will you do with it. Obviously there are only two responses to that question – yes or no.  I hope and pray you have said yes, so now are you going to enjoy the engagement to the fullest or get just enough?  Me, I WANT IT ALL!  God gave me His all, so now I want as much of Him as I can get.  See ladies and gents, I get it now, I’m already engaged, a future bride, waiting for my bridegroom, my perfect wedding in heaven one day.  Don’t get me wrong, Lord willing, I hope to get married to an earthly bridegroom one day and have a marriage that will reflect Christ and His bride, but if that day never comes, my cup will continue to overflow with satisfaction. Because I have a King who calls me His lover, His beloved.  Death will never separate us, because He already died for me.  In times that are good and times that are bad, He never changes and carries me through it all.  He calls me immaculate – flawless, guiltless, exquisite, perfect.  There are no words to accurately describe this romance, this love affair, this passion.

I look forward, in hope, to my earthly prince, but the King has already marked me – TAKEN.

Beloved - Tenth Avenue North

“Love of my life, look deep in my eyes, there you will find what you need.
Give me your life, lust and the lies, the past you're afraid I might see.
You've been running away from me.

You're my beloved, Lover I'm yours. Death shall not part us. It's you I died for.
For better or worse, forever we'll be. Our Love it unites us, it binds you to me.

It's a mystery.

Love of my life, look deep in my eyes, there you will find what you need.
I'm the giver of life; I'll clothe you in white. My immaculate bride you will be.
Oh come running home to me, now.

Well you've been a mistress, my wife, chasing lovers it won't satisfy.
Won't you let me make you my bride? You will drink of my lips and taste new life.

You're my beloved, Lover I'm yours. Death shall not part us. It's you I died for.
For better or worse, forever we'll be. Our Love it unites us, it binds you to me.

It's a mystery.

  

Seek and Hide

“.. Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be, the slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees.. ”

            Think back.. When you were a kid, did you always have a certain place you went during a game of Hide & Seek?  Or maybe a special place you always ran to just to get away; maybe when you were sad, or to go yell and get it all out, or to play, hangout, just be.. ?  You know, that place you could go to where no one could find you, catch you, hurt you, and so on.  You might have called it your fort, hideout, getaway, or hiding place.  I couldn’t help but dwell on this concept for a bit.  I wonder why there was something so distinctive about that one place.  Why were we so eager to get to that one spot?  Why did we feel so complacent there?  Our ignorant minds as children led us to believe that place insulated us from the rest of the world.  We were so content there; we felt so fearless, powerful, rejuvenated, and zealous.  After coming back to the real world, we yearned for that next escape.

            In Mark 10:15 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (NIV)  I find this referring to having a childlike faith.  Relating this back to my analogy; as a child, we put an exceptional amount of faith in our hiding place.  We could have sat in that hideout all day and been satisfied with full trust that we were safe.  Bear with me, I promise I’m going somewhere with this.

            Picture this.. A 4-year-old boy in his hiding place, a tree house.  He hears his dad calling, “It’s getting dark and about to rain, so get back inside, please.  Don’t make me take your toys away!”  I can see the little boy laughing and saying, “It’s okay dad, nothing can hurt me; I’m in my tree house! BRING IT ON DARKNESS AND RAIN! You ain’t got nothing on my tree house.  And dad, you can have the toys; they don’t matter.  I’ve got all I need in this tree house!” – Don’t you hear it?  Such contentment, such faith, such fearlessness, all in a simple structure that he has no control over. 

            Now join me back in reality (whew!).  That’s exactly what God asks of us, right? This leads me to answer two questions:
1. What is your hiding place?
2. What’s the child and the tree house got to do with anything?

Well, thanks for asking!  Before I start to answer let me give you the definition of hiding.  This small, but incredible word means to seek refuge.  Remember that!

            Now to answer question one, I will start with what a hiding place should not be.  We should not hide in our family, friends, money, boyfriend, girlfriend, career, education, alcohol, drugs, love, etc.  The list could go on and on.  Basically, we should not be hiding in the things of this world.  I can promise you all of these things will fail you.   So many of us know that already, but so many times we find ourselves creeping back to our earthly hiding places.  On to describing the perfect hiding place – God, and His all-consuming presence. (Exodus 33:14, Psalm 9:3, 16:11, 31:20).  He is the one and only hiding place that will never fail you. (Hebrews 13:5, Isaiah 58:11, Deuteronomy 4:31, Joshua 1:5, Psalm 118:4-8),

            Any relevance to my previous story?  That’s just it; it has everything to do with that story.  God calls us to a childlike faith.  He wants us to be just like that little boy.  He wants us to come into His presence no matter how we’re feeling – get everything out, be content, zealous, rejuvenated by just being with Him.  He wants us to yearn for Him and His presence and know that absolutely nothing compares to Him.  Yet, unlike that little boy’s tree house, nothing can protect us better than the Creator of this universe (even against darkness and rain ha).  Ever wonder why you can worship and never want to stop? Or pray and never run out of things to say?  Or read your Bible and never want to put it down?  My friends, that’s a tiny glimpse of what His presence can do in and to us.

            He is my hiding place through the good and the bad, always there to share my joy and even my pain.  But there are times when I can’t help but want to run and fall into His presence.  When this world feels too heavy, when all my plans fall apart, when I don’t know what the next second will bring, when I feel too weak to go on – I can run into His presence, where His loving arms await me.  There I’m satisfied, having nothing, yet having it all, knowing a true peace that passes all understanding.  When the adversary says to you, “Here comes the cancer, the adulterous husband, the bills, the wreck, the gossip and on top of that let me take away your job, your parents, your friends, your home, your health, your money, and then some!”  We can reply with a smile on our face and say, “In God’s presence alone will I hide and be satisfied.  You can take it all! I’ve got all that I need in my God who can mend everything you break, give back everything you take, place me high where you take me low, make me strong when you’ve made me weak, give me wealth where you made me need, bring me life where you left me dead, and then some!”  Just like that little boy, we too can have a hiding place.  Some people spend their whole lives seeking out refuge in things of this world that will eventually fail them and cause them to lose in this game of life.  But once you’ve found that perfect place to hide in God, remain there forever and you’ll always win!

                          .. I guess it’s true, I am a little kid at heart!

Who are YOU?

            I’m pretty sure everyone has been asked this question at some point in their lifetime. “Who are you?” Such a frequently asked question that can seem so simple.  A lot of us could answer that question with our name, age, where we’re from, and maybe another menial description.  For example, I could answer that question like this:

                        “I am Holly Williamson, a 20-year-old Christian college

                        student from North Carolina.”

That’s who I am, right? Right. Now, of course, there’s more to me than just that, but in general, that is me.  We, as humans, can sum up who we are in one decent sentence.  

            Lately, I’ve had the urge to ask the question, “Who are You, God?”  Undoubtedly, I am a Christian in an intimate relationship with God.  As a believer, in my ongoing process of sanctification, I aspire to know more and more about this awesome God I serve.  Because of this yearning to know Him, I decided to research who my God is, mainly using His Word.  To many of you, what you’re about to read will be a reiteration; to some, possibly a surprise, more knowledge, and maybe even folly.  But what I am really proposing is that my research on who God is could give someone hope for tomorrow, peace in the midst of trouble, or even as it did for me, cause a revival in your heart and a newfound love for the one, true God. 

             My research is still unfolding seeing as I will not know God in His fullness until I stand before Him soon (and very soon).  Here’s my challenge: read each of the names of God listed below out loud and examine your life for instances of His presence.  Now brace yourself to read a precise answer to my proposed question, “God, who are You - To me, to others, to everything?”

El means “to be” and also “God” – mighty, strong, and prominent. 

El Shaddai means “God Almighty,” “God All-Sufficient.” 

El Elyon means “Most High” (Psalm 78:35). 

El-Olam means “Everlasting God.”

Adonai means “Master,” “Lord,” “Father.” 

Jehovah means “The Self-Existent One,” “I AM WHO I AM!” 

Jehovah-Jireh means “The Lord will Provide” (Genesis 22:14). 

Jehovah-Nissi means “The Lord is our Banner” – to lift up (Exodus 17:15). 

Jehovah-M’Kaddesh means “The Lord who Sanctifies” – to make whole, set apart for holiness.

Jehovah-Rohi means “Shepherd” (Psalm 23).

Jehovah-Shalom means “The Lord our Peace” (Judges 6:24). Shalom refers to peace resulting from being in right relationship with God.

Jehovah-Tsidkenu means “The Lord our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6).

Kadosh means “Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25). – “To whom will you compare me?”

Palet means “Deliverer” (Psalm 18:2).

Kanna means “Jealous One” (Exodus 20:5).

Yesha means “Savior.”

Gaol means “Redeemer.”

Magen means “Shield” (Psalm 3:3).

Eyaluth means “Strength” (Psalm 22:19).

And my all time favorite: Jehovah-Shammah means “The Lord is There” (Ezekiel 48:35). 

I can think of countless instances God has been these things to me in my life and I’m sure you can too.  Y’all, those are just my favorites.  The list goes on and on.  It brings me to tears to read, know, and experience all He has been for me, is being for me, and will continue to be for me.  Words can’t even describe who He is to me and my mind can’t begin to fathom the fullness of Him.  I am so undeserving of everything He is, but in His grace and mercy He chose to bestow His best on me.  Yet many of us, including me, tend to downsize Him, leaving us living a life without experiencing Him as He longs for us to.  You see, now I get it.  I spend my life filling it up with ‘just enough’ God, yet trying to attain more than enough worldly passions.  I’m not referring to attaining wealth or possessions, but my longing to attain more happiness, control, joy, satisfaction, peace, success, favor, etc. in worldly passions.  It’s never enough.  How foolish are we to look to things of this world for fulfillment.  Now, all these things aren’t bad, yet God’s Word leads me to believe quite a contrary approach.  He is my "more than enough!”  He is my happiness, control, peace, joy, satisfaction, success, favor, and so on!  Now I can hear some people saying, “Yeah, I already know that.”  My next proposal is, ‘Are you living in that knowledge?’  I know I’m not.  I feel like this has given me yet a new step to climb in my sanctification process.  One of knowing who God is in every part of my life, one of God being my life, one of living my life in such boundless joy that nothing, I mean absolutely NOTHING can bereave me of it.  In conclusion, I come to answer two questions:
Who am I?

     I am NOTHING living for EVERYTHING.
Who is God?

     He is my EVERYTHING!

(So I guess, just like people, you can sum God up in a sentence, but good luck answering the question “What is Everything?” in this lifetime).

.. how all of this compels me to long even more for the day I’ll know Him in His fullness.