Do you pursue God like a lover?
My soul yearns for you in the night;
in the morning my spirit longs for you.
When my wife, Louise, and I were sophomores in high school we first met in a Spanish class. I was so absolutely knocked over with this dynamic girl! Each day I woke up, she’d be the first thing on my mind. I would see her in several classes, in student government programs, and at various sports events. I’d wonder if she would ever have the same feelings for me as I had for her.
I looked so forward to my time with her, curious, wondering where we’d go, what we’d do and talk about. And I wanted to know everything there was to know about her. I fantasized about spending our entire lives together and wondered what that would be like.
After waiting five years from that first meeting, Louise agreed with me to become my bride. That was over fifty years ago next month. Wow — how time flies. While there were difficult times (primarily because at times I was a rock-head) we worked through our stuff together. Over the past four and a half decades my love for her has grown as my understanding of God’s love and grace for me has developed.
When courting Louise, nobody had to ask me if I was spending regular time with her. I didn’t have to write her in on my day-planner. I didn’t have to make myself turn off the TV or get up extra early to make time for her. And I told her everything — my hopes, dreams, fears — even stupid stuff.
While in college, long distance calls were expensive and we missed each other a lot, so we made an effort to daily write each other. We’d mail our letters back and forth to try to fill in the lonely times between visits.
Can you imagine if we pursued God like that? But that’s what He wants! He wants us to be completely smitten with Him. He doesn’t want to be scheduled in… He wants to be on our hearts and minds all day long everyday. He wants to be the Lover of our Souls and He pursues us fearlessly, even recklessly. He wants us to long for Him, to tell Him everything, to walk with Him, to want to know everything there is to know about Him, to look for Him everywhere.
Sometimes I think we pursue God like a college degree. It’s way too structured, forced, impersonal. He wants a relationship with us, not an appointment. He’s mysterious, romantic and waiting. Let’s stop putting God on our list of things to do today and start pursuing Him from the heart… like we’re dating Him. Even though it sounds a little weird and feminine, we are His bride and He’s coming back for us. I can hardly wait!
Thanks to an amazing friend who loaned us his home in Maui this week, we are taking a break to enjoy one another again.
Personal Application
What are the thoughts that come to your mind when you read verses like these?
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”
“I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.”
Have you told Jesus lately how much you love Him for the sacrifices and grace He provided?
Jim Grassi, D. Min.