Romanced Chapter 7 Captivating

Romanced
This chapter was a little strange for me but at the same time I loved it. I was able to connect when Stasi talked about God calling her "darling" even though she had lost patience with her children that day and used an ugly tone of voice. She was feeling so imperfect, felt like she had disappointed family and friends and yet the God of the universe had called her darling and confirmed it with her later that night as she was reading scripture. Her hand fell to Song of Songs 1:15 "How beautiful you are, my darling." God sees our every failure and sin and our thoughts and still He loves us! I know this from scripture but I always have to remind myself of this. The devil is constantly jabbering in my ear other things. I'm ready to hear the name that God has for me. A friend of mine once told me that God spoke to her heart, that she was the apple of His eye!

I never thought about this before but it was a kind of click for me. God's romance is all around us! His creation speaks to us. Shows us there is a God. Whether it be wildlife, a fragrant field of flowers, how the spring time springs forth, the seas, mountains, His majesty abounds! His beautiful creation is all around us! He romances us with sunsets, falling stars, moonlight on lakes, cricket symphonies, warm breezes and a fierce devotion to us. He knows exactly how to take our breath away with His beautiful creation.

John told a story of his sitting on a beach alone praying and God gave him a gift of seeing a whale. He knew it was long past whale migration season but God had given him this to speak to his heart. After Stasi had heard this she too asked God "Do you love me too?" She felt silly asking but God delights in revealing Himself to us. She had been at the ocean by herself when she asked this and after a while she saw a starfish and then further down the beach hundreds of them of all colors! She knew that this was her gift from God. God gave John a whale, it was massive and strong. He gave her starfish, delicate, small, intricate. She was able to touch them. He has many gifts for us too! Let's challenge ourselves to ask God how He is romancing us now? Ask him for a whale moment! It may not be a whale but it will be perfect just for you from your God.

What does God want from us? He wants the same thing that we want. He wants to be loved. He wants us to need Him, to go to no other, to come to Him for all things, to give it all to Him. He wants us to share all things with Him. He wants intimacy with the real you. He wants us to fill the hole in our heart with Him. When we don't He thwarts us. Hosea 2:6-7 then He will woo us Hosea 2:14. It is here at this place in our lives that we will experience Him as a God that is real, not far away and unreachable but as the pursuer of our hearts.

Culitvating Intimacy - Just like Stasi I too am desperately needy for God. I need to fight for my time so that I can seek Him. Stasi suggests finding a place where we can worship Him and ask Him to reveal Himself to us as the Lover that He is. Talk to Him, ask Him, draw near to Him. Find music that speaks to your heart about God. Stasi and John used a song by Emmylou Harris called, "Here I am" http://youtu.be/HqdGZCvSE40.

I mentioned earlier that I felt a little strange about this and that is because this chapter mentions God being our lover, that we must have a deep intimacy with Him. I am trying to view this as deep communication and a very personal relationship with Him. That we put Him above all things.

This chapter really spoke more than the other chapters have!