Attracting Light

Matthew 5:16 - "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

The light of the Lord does not automatically shine forth from us. Just because we are redeemed doesn't mean we are a lighthouse for those whose ships are running aground. We must "let" our lights shine, as Jesus stated.

If our light is barely visible, then we are merely ornamental and offer no real light to drive back the darkness. If we burn too bright and without wisdom, then we might offend those we are trying to help. Yet, if our light does not blind but instead provides a lighted path to the Savior, then we have accomplished a great thing. May our lights burn appropriately to always lead others to the Lightgiver.

Needs Versus Wants

Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

We may possess a reciprocity mindset that says, if I give then I will get. We might believe God will multiply our blessings if we just believe. However, Jesus' promise is that He will "add" to our needs, not always fulfilling our wants.

Oftentimes, if God would multiply His blessings in our lives, they would destroy us. Consider Jesus' use of Solomon to illustrate His example regarding the lilies of the field. He knew this wise king was nearly destroyed by his abundance. Jesus tells us true wisdom is to allow God to add to our lives when He sees fit, and to expect nothing more or less. The mind set upon the truth of Jesus' words to seek first His kingdom will create a heart filled with gratitude and thanksgiving.

God’s Love for Us

Song of Solomon 1:15 - “How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves.”

How long has it been since we have heard the sweet wooings of our Beloved? He is always speaking, but are we listening? Nothing will change a man or a woman more than a revelation of the love of God for His beloved bride. The epiphany of His love upon the soul is linked inextricably with an understanding of His wisdom for our lives. Through it springs faith and hope as we fall deeper in love with the Bridegroom and His Father.

Maybe some have never experienced this intimacy? All we need to do is surrender to Christ and declare to Him that we are His. In short order, He will begin to speak to your heart saying, "How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful you are!"

Liberty Through Obedience

II Corinthians 3:17 - "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

Have we come to a place in our walk with Christ where we choose obedience out of love rather than obligation? This is true liberty. Paul uses the Greek word "eleutheria" to describe how we are not legally bound to our former slave master, but we have been set at liberty to go wherever we desire. However, when we love the One who has set us free, then we obey Him not because we have to but because our desire is to act like a son or daughter rather than a slave.

We are free to behave like a servant, if we desire, and do things out of obligation to our new Master. However, Jesus wants us to come into that place of liberty where we walk with Him and enjoy the intimacy of His counsel. No longer do we do things merely because they were the right things yesterday, but we obey Christ because of the living word He gives us today.

Beloved, He is always speaking liberty to us through His leadings. His commandments are life which gives us broad expressions of freedom.

Spiritual Blindness

II Corinthians 4:4 - "In whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

Spiritual blindness often depends on whether we choose to believe or not. Satan may be the author of spiritual blindness, however we are the ones to perpetuate it by are refusal to come to Christ. This is true for believers and non-believers alike.

Our desire for God's light is dependent upon our humility to surrender to Jesus. Our Lord asked the two blind men in the book of Matthew if they believed that he was able to heal them. He said let it be done according to your faith. May we all turn from the god of this world and turn to the God who restores sight to the spiritually blind.

God's Heart Throb

Song of Solomon 4:9 - “You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride; you have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes, with a single strand of your necklace."

All of chapter four of Solomon's Song of Songs is devoted to his bride. This verse, in my opinion, is the apex of his desire for his espoused. ... Beloved of God, THIS is the attitude of Jesus Christ, our Great Bridegroom, toward YOU! If we have surrendered to His love and accepted His gift of salvation, He sees us as a gorgeous spectacle of His divine work.

Even more gratifying to the Holy One is when we turn our gaze toward Him in love. The scripture here states we arouse His great love and passion for us where His heart beats faster at a single glance from us! Will not He then grant us everything pertaining to life and godliness if He cares so much for us? May we look toward Him, for in our mutual admiration in love is a spiritual existence beyond our greatest expectations.

I Am My Beloved's ...

Song of Solomon 5:16 - “His mouth is full of sweetness. And he is wholly desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”

If chapter four of Solomon's Song is about the king's love expressed, then chapter five epitomizes the bride's torment in separation. His desire for her to come to him in verse two and her deliberate debate not to in the following verses causes a tumultuous search by the bride for her bridegroom. Once she finds him, she makes her love declaration in 5:16 as stated above.

Is Christ both our Beloved and our Friend as the bride declared? Have we come to the place where we no longer debate His commands but we open our hearts to obey every time He speaks? We will not do this perfectly as Christ's beloved. However, to that degree will we be able to call Him our Beloved and Friend. 

Lord, make us lovers of yours who wait expectantly for Your voice and may we respond quickly to experience Your joy. In Jesus' Name, Amen.