Beloved.
I have waited to write this last part of this series for it has been the hardest to put into words. When I think of the term "beloved" it is in the intense, intimate, and passionate relationship found in the bond between two people. For me the closest correlation is marriage. And I know not all have had a bond in matrimony or had a marriage that has any fiber of what such a bond should be. However the original purpose and idea remains the same. We, (you, me and everyone else) are meant to be God's Beloved.
It's hard to think that I am called beloved. I'm sure it's just as hard as anyone else to imagine God, creator of the heavens, thinks of me and you in such an all-in-compassing fondness. With poor self image, low self-esteem, trauma and scars we are plagued or self afflict ourselves with, how can we, (let alone myself) think I can be called beloved? "You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you." Isiah 62:5-6 A message of hope and truth of how God wants us to see ourselves. Now here is an intersesting translation for you; Hephzibah means- my delight is in her and also can emphasize one being protected and safeguarded. Beulah means married, or one belonging. Interesting isn't it? A little peak to a small part of who God wants to be for us- our bridegroom who protects, safeguards and belongs with us.
The bible has numerous versus about marriage and what a wife and husband should do. And I could put more in this post, but I want to come back to the term beloved. Dear to the heart is the meaning, as to be close to it and continuously on it. My beloved is the one I think of constantly. The one I want to be close to. The one who I can't wait to see. The one who I want to share everything with (be it good or bad). The one I want to be with as much as possible. I imagine that is what God wants too. He wants to be all those things for me (and you.) But here's the kicker- I am being that for Him? I am His Beloved- but is He mine? He wants to be. Nobody likes a one-sided relationship, I think least of all God. It hurts. Plain and simple. Real relationships take energy, time, and effort.
Too many a time (I myself am guilty) we don't treat God like our Beloved. So much happens from when we open our eyes from rest till we return to it and it seems God gets shuffled to the back of the line until something happens and we come running back to treat Him more like a genie in a bottle than a lover of our soul. What would happened if you treated your spouse that way? Or your best friend? Only taking them off the back burner when it is convenient for yourself would break anyone seeking a relationship. Lucky God doesn't have our lack of patient or unconditional love. He knows we are flawed and He can forgive. But that doesn't change the desire He has for us to be His Beloved and He ours. God wants to have intimate relationship with us and if we allow Him and work with and through Him amazing things are possible and much fulfilling in this world. Leaving with the verse of the beloved "My beloved is mine, and I am his." Song of Solomon 2:16
I have waited to write this last part of this series for it has been the hardest to put into words. When I think of the term "beloved" it is in the intense, intimate, and passionate relationship found in the bond between two people. For me the closest correlation is marriage. And I know not all have had a bond in matrimony or had a marriage that has any fiber of what such a bond should be. However the original purpose and idea remains the same. We, (you, me and everyone else) are meant to be God's Beloved.
It's hard to think that I am called beloved. I'm sure it's just as hard as anyone else to imagine God, creator of the heavens, thinks of me and you in such an all-in-compassing fondness. With poor self image, low self-esteem, trauma and scars we are plagued or self afflict ourselves with, how can we, (let alone myself) think I can be called beloved? "You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; For the Lord delights in you, And your land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you." Isiah 62:5-6 A message of hope and truth of how God wants us to see ourselves. Now here is an intersesting translation for you; Hephzibah means- my delight is in her and also can emphasize one being protected and safeguarded. Beulah means married, or one belonging. Interesting isn't it? A little peak to a small part of who God wants to be for us- our bridegroom who protects, safeguards and belongs with us.
The bible has numerous versus about marriage and what a wife and husband should do. And I could put more in this post, but I want to come back to the term beloved. Dear to the heart is the meaning, as to be close to it and continuously on it. My beloved is the one I think of constantly. The one I want to be close to. The one who I can't wait to see. The one who I want to share everything with (be it good or bad). The one I want to be with as much as possible. I imagine that is what God wants too. He wants to be all those things for me (and you.) But here's the kicker- I am being that for Him? I am His Beloved- but is He mine? He wants to be. Nobody likes a one-sided relationship, I think least of all God. It hurts. Plain and simple. Real relationships take energy, time, and effort.
Too many a time (I myself am guilty) we don't treat God like our Beloved. So much happens from when we open our eyes from rest till we return to it and it seems God gets shuffled to the back of the line until something happens and we come running back to treat Him more like a genie in a bottle than a lover of our soul. What would happened if you treated your spouse that way? Or your best friend? Only taking them off the back burner when it is convenient for yourself would break anyone seeking a relationship. Lucky God doesn't have our lack of patient or unconditional love. He knows we are flawed and He can forgive. But that doesn't change the desire He has for us to be His Beloved and He ours. God wants to have intimate relationship with us and if we allow Him and work with and through Him amazing things are possible and much fulfilling in this world. Leaving with the verse of the beloved "My beloved is mine, and I am his." Song of Solomon 2:16
No comments:
Post a Comment