Letting Him Love You

Letting Him Love You


One of my favorite places over the cold and dark winter months is an Adirondack chair set up by our wood stove in the basement.  Most mornings, after the hustle and bustle of starting the day, that is where you will find me.  It's my haven over the winter months, away from the phone, the computer, the dogs, and even the neighbor's snow blower.  We all have our quiet places, where we can just tune out from the world, and hopefully tune in....to the Father that is.  This is my place over the winter months, as I sit and stare at the flames licking the sides of the ash recently put in the stove.

And as I sat there one morning, spending time with the Lord in prayer, I remember telling Him how very much I loved Him.  But His response to me that morning took me off guard, because no sooner had those words of love and adoration left my lips when the Lord responded with "If you love me so much, then take the time to let me love you."  Now I don't know about you, but when the Lord speaks words like this to me it causes me to take a few steps back and assess the situation.  This is usually followed by a barrage of questions by me along with some answers I may not be thrilled with, and finally after some serious soul searching a light bulb goes off and I understand the point the Lord is trying to make.

So needless to say all of this played out that morning as I sat by the wood stove, pondering the words the Lord had just spoken to me.  As I prepared to tell the Lord that I didn't know what He meant, it was as if He suddenly began replaying the weeks and months leading up to that morning before my eyes.  What I saw wasn't surprising.  Truly, I believe it is what many of us would see or notice when prompted to take a step back and view our days from the outside.

You know the routine.  It's Monday morning and you sit with your planner or calendar sprawled out before you, surveying the endless array of things scheduled to be done that week......from work and meetings, to chores and bills, there's class, Bible study, dance class, football practice, band practice, grocery shopping...the list goes on and on.  This is day after day, week after week, month after month, and eventually somewhere down this grueling road we find ourselves sitting in our favorite chair in our quiet place (if we're lucky) too tired and cranky to even enjoy our favorite cup of coffee.

Girlfriends, this is not the Father's will for us!

In Matthew 11:28-30 we find these well-known words of Jesus, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  Jesus knew what it was like to be busy; previously in Matthew 11 He had been preaching and teaching throughout the cities of Israel.  Just think about this a moment.  Jesus walked to everywhere He ministered, and everywhere He went people were expecting something from Him.  So when we slump down in our favorite chair physically and mentally exhausted from the endless "to do" lists, whether self-imposed or imposed by others, He knows.  He knows what we are feeling, which is why He says come to me and I will give you rest.

In the Greek that word for "rest", anapauo, means to cause or permit one from any movement or labour in order to recover and collect his strength.  Imagine that, to permit you not to move or labor in any way so that you can recover and collect your strength (physically and mentally).  Can you hear the Lord saying, "Just be still and sit with me a while," as he shakes His head no when you try to fold the laundry sitting in a basket before you or attend to the dirty dishes in the sink.  If you can't hear Him saying this, I know I sure can.  Don't get me wrong, I am not condoning laziness, but I am condoning resting in the presence of our Lord.

Jesus knew the importance of this rest. He demonstrates it all throughout the gospels where we find it recorded that often after ministering to the multitudes He would go off by himself to a quiet place to rest and pray to the Father.  He knew that this resting in the Father's presence would help Him to recover and collect His strength, to be refreshed in His body, mind, and spirit for all that lay before Him.  And Jesus encouraged the disciples to do the same, to escape the busyness of life for a while and rest in the Father's presence (Mark 6:31).

God himself rested on the seventh day after creation (Genesis 2:2-3).

I say all of this as reminder, to myself, and to you, my sisters who I dearly love.  Our God is not a harsh taskmaster to those who love and serve Him.  He never intended for you and I to continue spinning the hamster wheel of life until we fall flat on our faces out of sheer exhaustion.  Our God is a god who wants to love His daughters, who wants to hold them in His arms, who wants to have them rest in His presence while their bodies, minds and spirits are refreshed.  He is our good, good, Father, but He cannot love us like this if we do not choose to take the time to allow Him to love us like this.

Maybe it is a day, maybe it is a few hours, maybe it is just a few minutes, but whatever it is , wherever it is..... your favorite chair, a porch swing, an old country road, or your favorite coffee shop

Take the time and let Him love you, because He is waiting to do just that.