Love Me Tender

"In the same way, when you are persuaded - through the prophecies or the miracles or the changed lives of others - that Jesus is, indeed, who He claimed to be, when you come into a personal relationship with Him, when His Spirit bears witness with your spirit, you are overwhelmed by the "sudden glory".

Our perspectives should be different now. Are we looking for signs of His love? They're everywhere! Are we fascinated by His mind? Wow! He has wisdom for our individual lives.

"But whoever take a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life." John 4:14 - Oh Lord spring up in me a spring of water welling up to eternal life

"I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing." John 15:5 - Oh Lord that I would bear much fruit with You because apart from you I can do nothing

Have you received any "kisses from the King" lately? No only are the revelations that He gives us so amazing, but the very thought that He cares enough to plant those seeds into our lives is amazing. To think that He would guide us to a certain scripture, or call someone to say something to us, the orquestrated events that He would put into our lives help us to know that we are so loved and treasured.

"I don't want to ever settle for less in my life when I've learned that God Almighty always has a higher plan."

I love this - "according to rabbinic tradition, a kiss from God is a living word of prophecy...In traditional Judaism, Jamie explains, the first five books of the Torah are kissed by the worshippers. (Actually, one kisses one's fingers and then touches the mantle of the Torah.) Kissing is an act of devotion, showing how dear the Word of God is."
"The root Hebrew word for kiss is nasaq, meaning 'to kindle, to catch fire.' Can you think of an example when the Word of God lit a fire in you?"

What a great way to look at communion or the Lord's Supper (depending on what you're used to calling it) - we are being called into His presence, to remember who Jesus was and what He did for us, because He truly loves us.

Mary of Bethany - "sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said." She was kissed by her King. I don't want to miss "a word, a tender inflection, a warm look, a gently kiss".

We do activity for God and that is needed, but let us not replace communion with God with activity for God. "...good deeds will naturally flow out of communion with Him."

I could definitely relate to this passage of the chapter: "My 'busyness' is often a way, I realize, to make myself feel like I have worth and purpose in this world. I want people to think I am valuable, important, and wise."

Oh, God, make me like Mary of Bethany - to concentrate on communion with You and trust You with everything else. All things that I do are for Your glory! What else is there? I pray, Lord, that You won't ever need a megaphone to get my attention again!

"'Ask,' promised Jesus, 'and it will be given to you' (Matthew 7:7). 'You do not have because you do not ask,' said James (James 4:2). Even though there is no limit to God's blessing, if you didn't ask him for a blessing yesterday, you didn't get all you were supposed to have." Bruce Wilkinson