Song of Solomon 8:4
"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases."
Don't try to force up love for God or people. Allow God to work it in you. Be led by the gentle blowing of the Holy Spirit. The eagles wait on a strong wind high in the sky and use it to carry them where they want to go. Not by struggling to flap their wings, but by opening their wings and riding the wind. In the same way we are to mount up with our wings like the eagles. We wait on the Holy Spirit to put the wind beneath our wings. God leads, we follow. He inititates, I respond. We are led by the Spirit, not the Law. If I am under the Law, I am forever trying to lead the Spirit, rather than allowing Him to lead me. Those who are sons of God are led by the Spirit, not by the Law. Not by your efforts.
Waiting takes time. Abraham waited 25 years for Isaac. Your anxiety doesn't please God, nor does your efforts in trying to make something happen. Your faith and patience pleases Him. There is NOTHING you need to do. Therefore you can rest and wait on Him. The wind blows where He wishes. Not where you wish.
11 comments:
As if I needed to be reminded why I love you...you are beautiful.
I thought you would like this. :)
I'm realizing how much I need Him. I can't do ANYTHING without Him. I can't even seek Him without Him. I can't love Him without Him. He is our source of Zoë. "It is the Spirit who gives Zoë. The flesh is of no avail."
Ooh wow, this was so good, I so needed to hear this, and it was so beautifully written too!! You are bursting with continual reminders of such grace!! Love it!!
Matt,
Beautiful post!
I especially love:
"Allow God to work it in you. Be led by the gentle blowing of the Holy Spirit. The eagles wait on a strong wind high in the sky and use it to carry them where they want to go. Not by struggling to flap their wings, but by opening their wings and riding the wind."
Blessings,
~Amy :)
http://amyiswalkinginthespirit.blogspot.com
"Your anxiety doesn't please God, nor does your efforts in trying to make something happen. Your faith and patience pleases Him. There is NOTHING you need to do. Therefore you can rest and wait on Him."
If I read this everyday...wow. Life would really change. His life in me would change me!
YOU GET IT!!! (and by "it", I mean His heart!) Do you know HOW EXCITING it is to read this and it not be my pastor, my mom, my grandmother, or my youth leader speaking, but SOMEONE MY AGE!?!?! God bless and I can't wait to meet you :)
Forced love, or contrived (falsely engineered) love is no love at all. There is so much fake, plastic love in the church and it makes it hard to know what is true love. Your post here shows what true love is and where it comes from. Wonderful!
Papa Cat told me he read this first thing this morning when he got to work to encourage himself!
Look at you...no, look at the Christ in you...uncontainable!!!
True dat, brother Joel. I hate the claustrophobic feeling of being around people whom you can sense are under loads of obligations and bless their hearts, are too afraid to allow love to be genuine. I'm one of them. God is our life and love. He supplies all our needs according to His will. I can't MAKE God live through me. He lives through me. I can't do ANYTHING of MY OWN initiative. My Father works and I work. He works in it, I work it out. I don't do things for God because it's my duty, but because it's His will. And He will do His will through me. I just rest and relax and quit trying to do things and allow Him to do what He wants through me. I don't make God work when I think He should.
Jamie, I'm glad Ryan found encouragement through this. I think God revealed it to me as a soft whisper whenever I get frantic, feeling I have to conjure up love myself. He is my love and He works it in to me as He wills. Not as I will.
Lydia,
Thank you so much. I'm glad I could help. I know you said you were having rough times lately with condemnation and stuff. Sometimes we need someone to come along and pull our heads above the water to see things clearly again. :)
Devon,
I'm excited too to finally know someone my age who understands grace. I don't even know anyone my age who is a Christian, let alone one who understands grace! It's very exciting. Most people I meet are at least 10 years older than I am. It's good to be the baby because everyone looks out for you, but sometimes I need to be with someone who is young like me.
I can't wait to meet you guys either. I am excited about the conversations and stuff. :) I wanna learn more about Jesus and grace!!
Thank you Jesus, err ahh, Matt, in you, through you, as you.
Grace.
Leonard
Thanks Matthew!
This was beautiful!
Thank you for the visual of the eagle gliding on the wind, as the Spirit leads us likewise.
I want to always be conscious of this!
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