Update #137 - 'Til love arrives

“Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” Song of Solomon 2:7, 3:5, 8:4

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA

I think our culture pushes love and relationships. You aren’t complete without a boyfriend / girlfriend or spouse. If you don’t have an “other half” you are somehow not complete, less than whole, and missing. I think this mind-set causes people to rush into and pursue relationships that never should happen in the first place.

I don’t think the true lover of our soul, God, wanted all this relational pain and mess to occur. I don’t think it was in his divine plan to have sixteen year old girls sobbing lakes of tears over a failed relationship, twenty-three year old women vowing never to trust men again, thirty year old women bitter and angry at the male population – or for men to have experienced the pain and brutal reality of rejection, betrayal, and misguided intentions multiple times on multiple levels.

I think God wants us to guard our hearts, actually - to let him guard our hearts, until love arrives. I think he wants us to experience “true love” and find a “soul mate” – I think he is all for romance and passion…but at the right time. If you aren’t ready for marriage, don’t pursue one – and don’t falsely tempt anyone down that path. If you aren’t ready to settle down, have a family and create a home, don’t act like it (i.e. don’t play house).

False actions, even well intended ones, lead to false intimacy – which is a killer. Killer of dreams, killer of hopes, killer of hearts. False intimacy is counterfeit closeness built in one night, one week, one month. Real intimacy is built slowly over time through conversation, consistent action, trust, and revealing of self.

We all want to be known. We all want someone to be looking out for us, loving us, cheering us on. We all want to be loved for who we are – even when we are unlovely. We all want a close connection, a bond, a liaison with someone we respect, admire and are attracted to.

The problem is we want it in a period of a few dates, a few encounters, a few interactions. We want intimacy so badly we rush the process and never find the real thing. Intimacy (into-me-see) takes investment – waiting, building, working, devotion. It takes time.

Our culture doesn’t teach this. Our society doesn’t model it. Our churches, for the most part, don’t speak about it…but the Bible does. God says three times in the Song of Solomon not to arouse love until the time is right. Three times…I think he was trying to get his point across!

What causes your heart to awaken to things it shouldn’t? What causes cravings, desires, longings to ignite when there is no kindling to consume? How do you extinguish the not-now yearnings and fan the flame of filling your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable (Philipians 4:8)?

What does your life reflect? Fast, false and flimsy; tried, true and tested; or a mixture of both? How will you cultivate genuine into-me-see in your life? Seek after the intimacy creator…he will fill you up.

Updates:

Work / Heath – the retreat went fantastic! I was diagnosed with a sinus infection and bronchitis the morning it started but with drugs, extra sleep and incredible co-workers the retreat ran smoothly. Thank you to everyone who stepped up to cover the gap I created!

Travel – we commissioned the India and Indonesia teams Sunday night. It was an incredible time of listening to what God was saying to each one of them and hearing what he had to say to the teams as a whole. I have a great expectation of what he is going to do on and during this trip!

Requests:

Health – After 10 days on an antibiotic, over the counter meds, nasal sprays, etc. I am STILL not feeling quite myself. I started a new regimen yesterday and am feeling better but not 100%. Please pray for full, fast recovery, that my stint on the plane won’t make it worse and that my sinuses won’t react painfully to the increased pressure (had it before and it is not fun!).

Work – Please pray for our time in Indonesia and India. Ask for safety as we travel, for divine connections, and for his transformative power to do a work in business people and couples in those cities.

Travel – I leave today (19th) at 2:00 for Indonesia and return on the 8th. I’ll try and get a few updates posted between now and then. Thanks for supporting me in prayer!

Upcoming – It looks like I’ll be home for about 20 days and then I get to head off to Egypt for a week (delighted squeal!)…I am REALLY excited about this! More details later!

PS Noel…this update was inspired by you.