Romanced To Passion
posted on October 23rd, 2009 / by Rebecca Gates / 18 CommentsNothing was really wrong with me this morning. I just woke up a in a bit of a funk. I had plenty of sleep the night before, a restful weekend, my house wasn’t completely trashed, and I was satisfied with all the home improvement projects that I had completed last week. I guess you could say I had no drive in me. I felt like I didn’t have a purpose. It felt like the kind of day that would never make a difference enough to be recorded in the personal memoirs of my brain.
Tossing the few dishes from the sink into the dishwasher, I felt the urging of the Lord to come away with Him. Admittedly, my first thought was to reply, “just as soon as I wipe down all of the counters…and maybe sweep too.” But remembering how my Lord had expressed hurt one day last week when I put Him off for later and the remorse I felt at almost having missed an opportunity for His presence, I quickly ran to Him instead.
Hidden away together in one of our secret places I began to worship Him, thanking Him for His promptings, for how He romances me into His presence, when His thoughts interrupted mine. He spoke one word into my mind, “passion”. My heart quickly grabbed hold of it as it melted like warm butter over my soul. I realized that He was assigning purpose for my day. I knew intuitively that He was asking me to share with others the passion I have for Him and the passion that He longs to express to anyone willing to turn their attention to Him.
Pastor Zach Neese of Gateway Church recently referred to our hearts so brilliantly as God’s bedroom. When I think of the bedroom I think of a place of rest, a place where we can be unguarded, and a place of such intimacy that we are uncovered and revealed. Oh, how I delight to be God’s bedroom! To imagine the Lover of my soul revealed to me in such a way that we share secrets between us only meant for each other to enjoy. It causes me to speak with caution about the passion that burns within me for Him. My hope and prayer as I share in obedience a glimpse into my heart’s dwelling place is that passion might be ignited within others to pursue His great love more intimately than before.
With one word from God my day had been completely transformed from a monotonous morning into something fresh, exciting and worthy of savoring in my thoughts for years to come.
Something I like to do as soon as God gives me a word is look it up in the dictionary. So I looked up passion, and after finding the expected definition: “ the object of somebody’s intense interest or enthusiasm”, the first definition that appeared was: “ the suffering of Jesus Christ from the Last Supper until his crucifixion”. In order to stir passion within ourselves for Christ, we must first believe in the passion He has for us.
Over 10 years ago I saw my husband for the first time, but I didn’t really see him. I noticed his fine physique and the way he walked into the room with such confidence, but I was not as impressed as maybe he would have liked me to be until I saw his passion for me. He expressed it in the way he considered me before himself and in his pursuit to know everything about me. He pulled me in with his kind words and I felt the intensity of his emotions for me when he leaned in close to me. I soon knew that I had his full attention, which created a safe resting place for my heart to open to him.
Our Lord has written to us a book filled with His promises and His love expressed for us. The more I discover God’s passion for me in His Word and deeds, the more I open myself to Him and am captivated by His love for me. Soon a burning fire begins to consume me until the things of this world fade away from my thoughts and all I want is Him. My soul finds its resting place enveloped in the safety of His embrace.
If you have ever had a loved one far away, you are familiar with that deep longing to see, feel, and touch them. You jump each time the phone rings, hoping it is the one you have been waiting for. Yet no matter how often you speak with them, the distance between you is still so evident in the longing of your heart. Nothing can fully satisfy until you are reunited to the one you love.
So it is with our Creator. When we seek to cultivate an intimate relationship with God we begin to enjoy reading His letters over and over in search of some new aspect of who He is. We enjoy listening to the songs that remind us of Him, and we sing along as if each word is coming from deep within the expression of our heart. His glory is revealed to us, filling our hearts to its capacity while at the same time still leaving us hungry for more of Him. It is marvelous how His Spirit romances our hearts. He woos us and pulls us into a rich and mature walk with God. We no longer fear the afterlife, rather we see it as our long awaited wedding night, the moment when our love affair can finally be consummated.
This kind of spiritual and emotional intimacy was at first difficult for me to grasp. I had a perverted view of God from the beginning as a result of an earthly dad who was abusive in so many ways. It took me awhile before I was even able receive God as my loving Father. I never intended to know Him as my Lover. I knew the Bible talked about it in Song of Songs, but I kind of pretended that book wasn’t in my Bible. Without me even realizing what was happening, God was changing my perspective. He was revealing Himself to me in a new way. I found myself referencing Him with words like “sweet” and “romantic”. I noticed how He would plan out our times together, providing me with the perfect song and the perfect scripture to draw us closer together. There were times when neither my husband nor any other human was able to give me the kind of attention I needed, so I would run into God’s embrace to have my needs met. My fearful heart was melted before Him as I realized that God had been courting me. What woman doesn’t dream of being swept away by her prince charming and living happily ever after, yet has any one of us ever actually experienced this in the fallen world we live in? Never, but Revelations 21:1-7 promises us our happily ever after. Now I see how this is what life is all about. It is the prelude to our wedding day. We are the bride of Christ!
A woman in love doesn’t think about what she will eat or drink when she is with her love. She doesn’t worry about the world around her. She is driven with passion for the one she loves and is consumed with thoughts of him. She prepares to present herself beautiful before him and cultivates their love in her heart. She awaits his arrival fully prepared even watching from the window for the first glimpse of him. Are we truly cultivating this deep love for our Savior as He deserves? Have we prepared our hearts to be His bedroom, a place where He can lay His head to rest, and to reveal the intimate parts of Himself? Or are we still so consumed by the things of this world that fear of death and the afterlife grips our heart?
The role of a husband is slightly different than that of a father. A father loves unconditionally; he provides for and protects, trains up, and let’s go so that his daughter may leave and cleave to her husband who also in turn provides, protects, and loves unconditionally. But only the husband bears fruit together with his bride whom he never leaves. And he keeps her forever! I want to be the bride of Christ. I want to see the church rise up with me and present herself as His bride. I want to see hearts trust in Him, I want to see us open ourselves to Him more intimately. As we do, we will no longer be distracted by what we can “do” for God, rather we will naturally bear fruit with God.
I’d like to leave you with a poem that your heavenly Lover has written for you from the depths of His passion for you. As you ponder it, allow yourself to be captivated and romanced by His Spirit. Breathe in deeply of His love and imagine yourself in His holy embrace. You are His garden. You are His treasure. You are His bride.
Song Of Songs 4: 9-10, 4:12, “You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes, with a single jewel of your necklace. Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride … You are my private garden, my treasure, my bride, a secluded spring, a hidden fountain.”
Absolutely wonderful! Thank you for starting my day off in a GRAND way Rebecca!
I couldn’t even finish reading…. I know God is calling me to Come away with Him right now! I promise to finish reading LATER! ; )
Thanks for the encouragement!
This is so beautiful, Rebecca!
The words you chose perfectly express your passion for Him, and His for us. In fact a question I’ve been pondering all week was answered as I read your words. As I read, I began to hear the song “Come away with me” I think it’s by Nora Jones? Thanks for sharing!
oh Rebecca, how I felt your passion in this blog, how much you love Him. This is not often talked about in circles, because some find it hard to express Jesus as their ‘lover’. Some find it uncomfortable because He’s God the Father and also Jesus, lover of our soul. You have explained this so amazingly well. I have a feeling this blog is going to want to make many run to the secret place and begin to ask the Lord to reveal that part of Him to them. You have shared a piece so tender and close to your heart… thank you :} xoxo
Wow, Rebecca!! Excellent writing!!!
How can we not want more of Him after reading that??
Personally, I am praying that these truths that have been lodged in my mind will become revelation to my heart…. seeing and relating to Him in that way.
Thank you for stepping out of your “writing comfort zone”. !
Rebecca,
That is so funny that we were just talking about His love revealed through the Song of Songs this morning and little did I know that was apart of what you wrote about!!:) I loved it!! So refreshing and captivating.:)
I love being wooed by my Heavenly Father and being so lost in His unfailing love. It is truly like water to my soul.
Your writings are so empowering! I love to read them!!;)
You are beautiful!! Love You!!
~Maree
Bases Loaded! Batter up! Swing! Rebecca hits a Grand slam!! Trying to use more manly metaphors to express how I feel.
I love your heart Rebecca!
Love it. Seems trival say that at the end of a a powerful blog, but there it is, plain and simple. Thank you for sharing your heart!
Rebecca,
Beautiful! God has been unfolding this truth in me and with me for the last few years. He has recently taken it to a new level as I searched for His definition of beautiful. Just in the last few weeks He’s been telling me of His Garden of Girls and the unique love affair He wants with each of us.
Thank you for confirming so much of what He has said to me and revealing even more. I love the facets of God in you! I’m so privileged to call you friend! Keep sharing girl.
I don’t know why you don’t have more comments? This is the best blog you have ever written. Everything about it was amazing. Every little detail captured my heart. I’ve never looked at our Heavenly Father as our Lover. God has used you to open up new doors for me.
You know I’ve been sick ever since I’ve gotten here. I’ve had a fever this whole week and I’m fighting off one right now. My mom was telling me today on the phone she wasn’t worried about me being ill, she was worried about me not finding peace. She’s had anxiety over it lately… Wondering when will i find peace.
“Or are we still so consumed by the things of this world that fear of death and the afterlife grips our heart?” That pretty much sums up my life and my thought process. I’m always scared about dying and what’s going to happen to me. I’ve NEVER once thought thought life is just preparing me for when i DO die for my wedding day with Christ. Just hearing those words in your blog takes a brick of my heart. Rebecca as i weep writing you this i feel like Jesus is healing me…
You could of just called and said, “Hey Princess, God told me to write this blog for you!” I love you and I’m so proud of you! Your amazing.
Rebecca,
I love how you’ve completely been smitten by the love of God. I’m just beginning to really understand the place Jesus has in my life as my Heavenly Husband because God has been this mighty, powerful, BIG, “way up there” Heavenly Father for so many years of my life.
Romance and passion are two words that I never really attributed to Jesus… I guess because I was never taught to look at Him that way. As He shows me more about His love for me, my perspective is slowly being changed. It’s hard, I admit, to let myself be loved beyond being a Child of God, but I’m learning, as Jesus reveals to my heart that beautiful, romantic side of Him.
You captured that so eloquently here. You GET it and it inspires me and encourages me to keep digging deeper into the romance and passion of Jesus and to continue to allow that side of my heart to be exposed to that kind of love.
You speak of your dad and how his display of “love” perverted your perspective of God. While my Dad was never abusive in any way, he is – what I call – the strong and silent type. The faithful provider, the loyal family man, the dedicated father, a man of few words…never once did he ever cause me to doubt his commitment to my mom or us, his children.
My dad has always modeled strength, loyalty, dedication and faithfulness, which is why – in part – I understand that heart of my Heavenly Father. But tenderness, affection, romance…that was hard for my Dad because he was not brought up that way. His Dad went AWOL when he was young and his mom was a tough, get it done lady who loved her kids but just didn’t know how to shower her children with physical affection…that gentle touch.
My Heavenly Father has always been strong, faithful, committed to taking care of me, a watchman over my life, a hero when I was in need of rescue and fiercely dependable…and that’s easy for me to understand. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve longed to know – intimately understand – what you write about here…romance, courtship, passion.
“My fearful heart was melted before Him as I realized that God had been courting me.”
This journey – of being romanced to passion – is one Jesus has been asking me to take with Him. Your story, your testimony, has inspired me to take that walk – no matter how out of the box it may be feel for me – and to allow my heart to become His bedroom.
Thank you for motivating me to vulnerability.
thank you so much for writing this!! I needed to hear this so desperately!
I told you I’d be back!
I love that way you write. You encourage me to develop more passion and zeal for the Lord. The One who is waiting to love me like no other!
Thanks Rebecca for showing us some of the secrets of your intimacy with your Father!!
Jessica
WOw! Were you in MY kitchen last week? Only my outcome was different–think kept wiping and mopping. Thanks for sharing what could be if only we would be-willing and open to hear and steal away with the true lover of our soul. love your face full of love and smiles every time i see you~m
Beautiful song, Rebecca! he is the only one that can truly sweep us away! So easily we are starved for His intimacy! I have been romanced more and more as I realize He desires oh so much more than singing,”Our Lord God. Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power” which is all true, but not revealing of an intimate, sweep me off of my feet, relationship! I love your hunger!
LOVE THIS R!!!
I love how intimacy unlocks the door to the deeper places in God and you beautifully penned that, “the bedroom.” Our life in God should kinda be like the perfect rhythm of taking the bedroom to the streets … that’s exactly what you did in this blog, you shared your passion for God (the bedroom), it ignites passion in others for Him (the street), and it was done in a beautifully heart changing way!
Love it and Love you!!!
~Ris