Christmas in the Song

So, what was it like in heaven just before Jesus came to earth?

I picture a hatch; a mysterious trap door that's at the end of a long hall way, underneath the throne room. It's made of iron with a heavy wheel on the front that takes some muscle to crank - it hasn't been opened since the Garden.

Jesus is standing with the Father at the hatch. The voices of angelic choirs numbering in the thousands echo down the corridor like fans at a Super Bowl game. Their familiar anthems are full of sentiment. This is home. This is where Jesus is adored. Earth is nothing like heaven, although it should have been.

Jesus knows what earth will be like. He knows he'll be born on straw in a stall with animals. He knows his parents will be poor and oppressed by a cruel government. Jesus knows he'll have more reasons to cry than to laugh throughout his entire life. And he knows he'll be tortured to death.

This is his last chance to turn back.

Do you think, just maybe Jesus is sobbing, "Daddy, don't make me do it!" Or maybe the scene looks more more like a military exchange as the captain salutes the general. This is all about following orders, isn't it? Or maybe they both resolve that this is just the way things turned out and Jesus looks at the Father with a "let's get this thing over" gaze before opening the hatch.

Nope to all those scenarios. The real story is found in Song of Solomon 2:8.

"Listen! My Lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills." That's a lot of exclamation points and they're there on purpose. God is excited ... really excited.

Have you ever tried sprinting up an elevated surface? It's not easy to do, let alone "leaping across a mountains"! (notice the plural emphasis) Even Jason Bourne couldn't do that without the help of cinematography. Could it be that Jesus was in a hurry to get to earth?

I think Jesus ran down to the hatch with the Father close behind. After giving him a quick kiss on the cheek he opened the door and said, "See ya later, Dad." This was not a moment of hesitation. This was THE moment they'd been waiting for and Jesus leapt to earth, bounding over the obstacles of spiritual resistance. This was a man with a mission.

What did earth possibly have to offer that heaven could not deliver? People. Weak, human beings that no one else would even consider significant. But God took notice because humans are like hobbits - simple-minded, imperfect and incredibly gullible. Heaven was grand but nothing came close to voluntary love from weak, human beings. This is what Jesus came for and he couldn't wait to get the show on the road.

The simple message of the Christmas story is "God wants me!" Even now, he's bounding over the hills for the chance to prove it to you.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Have you ever wondered what Paul was thinking when he used a mirror as a metaphor? "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).

I get the poor reflection part. Obviously, Paul was trying to make a point: humanity has limitations. As long as earth is the only reference point we have for life, we won't comprehend all there is to know about God. When we reach heaven, however, that's when "I shall know fully" - I'll have complete understanding of God. I can't wait! I can't wait to see Jesus; to put a face with the name I love. But how does a cloudy mirror describe my limited ability to see God? Wouldn't a window have been a better analogy?

When our house was built fifty years ago, the owner had these fancy, insulated windows installed. Each had four panels of glass. It worked well until the suction gave way over time. Moisture got trapped in between the panels creating a film that made visibility increasingly difficult. Isn't that what Paul meant to say? "Now we see God with poor visibility as one looking through a dirty window."

If I want to see a better view of God, why would I look into a mirror? Because I am one with Jesus.

In John 17, Jesus makes one primary request of the Father. "I have made you known to them and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them" (John 17:26) This is his last will and testament, the summation of all he lived and died for: oneness. Jesus wanted to be one with you and me! He really wanted us to experience the same connection as he has with the Father. And God was pleased to honor his request. When the Father looks at me, he sees Jesus and when the Father looks at Jesus, he sees me. Gosh. I even have a hard time writing it; it just feels disrespectful. But this is exactly what Jesus wanted and this is what I live to understand.

The Song of Solomon helps me grasp the profound mysteries of God's love as well as his nature. Above all, it's a book about oneness. It's a book that holds out a mirror for me.

Any time I look into a mirror I expect to see my reflection. Not this one. This mirror on the wall happens to reflect the fairest among ten thousands. Right now it's such a poor reflection and I don't see Jesus very well. I often need faith to remind me that I am "in Christ," especially when there's so much evidence that I'm nothing like Jesus. But my weaknesses, no matter how big or small, do not change the reality of my position. I am now, one with Christ. Somehow, that just changes everything.

What's in it for Jesus?

Not long ago God asked me a question. "Cindy, why do you think faith is important to me?" To be honest, I had never thought about it. There's a lot of benefits to faith on my end, that's for sure. But what's in it for Jesus?

Song of Solomon 6:11&12 is a strange passage. "I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom. Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people." Before you're tempted to click to another blog, hang on. God is describing what life is like on his side of eternity and that should interest you. It's not a lofty passage about heaven. No, this text is about what God does with his day. This is about your faith and how it moves the heart of God.

In the valley of this fallen world lies a garden that is a true source of delight for the Lord - his prize, in fact. Some would say it's more like his office where he reviews daily progress reports, assessing if his plan is working. Today's stats are really encouraging. Buds and blooms are promising signs that confident identity is growing. "At last, it's not about what they do, but who they are." And God smiles, even chuckles at the thought.

Have you ever been in one place with your body and another place with your heart? My pastor often comments on the intense feelings of love he has for us whenever he's on a mission trip. Somehow, the distance causes significant endearment to surface for his flock. It can be an amazing trip just loaded with the exciting move of God but his love for our church is a distinct distraction, reserved for a special group of people. That's just what God is feeling as he takes a daily walk through the spiritual garden. He gets the latest news updates and it's so encouraging that he just can't stay in the office any longer. He has to be on the floor where the people are, where all the action is. (I know we don't ride chariots but you get the point.) We have a God who loves humanity. I even think he misses earth.

To be Christian is to exist in faith; it is our position in Christ. But don't forget that the purpose of faith is to transport you to the love experience. I'm sure God admires the energy of faith, the amount of investment it takes to believe. But it isn't because he enjoys giving you an "A" for effort at the end of the day. What's in it for Jesus? The hope for a companion. God longs for your friendship. Interestingly, friendship does not require a lot of faith. Why? Because a friend's love is sure. "I enjoy you" is reinforced over time and faith in the friendship blossoms into confidence. There's just less and less need for confirmation. Let faith take you to Jesus so relationship can bloom.

Love Was Never Meant to be Lived by Faith

When I first read the Song of Solomon - no, let's just say when I first looked at the Song I really thought the book made it into the Bible by mistake. Cleavage, pomegranates and gazelles just did not fit into a meaningful category under any religious title. The book isn't even quoted by any other author of the Bible - including Jesus. You read the book and let me know what you think. I can guarantee a reaction of surprise, maybe even shock. The sensual imagery jumps off the page and you can almost hear a little old lady saying, "Oh my." What was God thinking when he inspired Solomon to write this book? (It is inspired, you know.)

I don't have a "Thus, saith the Lord" answer but I can tell you after marinating in the passages I think God wants us to know that love is full of emotions. Just about every line of the poem stimulates one of our five senses. "While the king was at his table, my perfume spread it's fragrance." (1:12) is just one example. Don't just read the words, smell them. Can you imagine sitting at a table with someone whose fragrance fills the room? Without a doubt they would become the center of attention, and a pleasant one at that. Or how about 4:2? "Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each one has its twin; not one of them is alone." Now how's that for a visual? This woman was not chewing on a corn cob pipe. Just about any woman with teeth qualified her as attractive in ancient Palestine. There's a banqueting table with all sorts of flavors in 2:4 and abundant references to touch throughout the book. We are even privy to private conversations these two lovers share on the journey called"intimacy". The overwhelming message God is sending is: love was meant to be tangible!

I think the church is more in love with faith than we are with love. Faith is important; I know it's impossible to please God without it. But I don't think God had faith in mind when he designed us for love. Faith helps us get to love but don't let faith define your experience. There's SO much more to love! Love was never meant to be lived by faith. After all, who gets excited about someone saying, "I love you by faith"? If at some point you don't feel loved, what motivates you to keep the relationship?

There are times in married life when I don't feel in love with my husband. That is to say, I don't have the "sweep me off my feet" romantic sensation. But I absolutely love him and I know he loves me. This is a sensation based in truth that never leaves me. Life brings various tests to challenge our belief in God's existence and even his love for us. That doesn't change the fact that love was never meant to be contained in faith. Unlike any other book, the Song conveys the truth about love as a sensation that is essential to facilitate relationship. If you aren't experiencing the love of God today, ask him to make you more observant. God is speaking, dear one. Open your ears and eyes as well as your nose, mouth and skin.

Is Enough Ever Enough?

So we're listening to music while cleaning the kitchen when my daughter happens to turn up the volume and one line of one verse bounces through the air waves and into my ear with a highlighted message. "When I'm home alone at night that is when I hear the line, 'You'll never be enough'." I hate that voice. I've published a book and curricula on God's plan for relationships - 2 in fact. I started a marriage ministry, raised up new leaders to take my place and went on to start a thriving young adult ministry. Most people would call that success, but darn if that voice still doesn't "lay me down to sleep". Most of the time it's subconscious but I can't deny the battle that my best is not enough. Is enough ever enough?

I don't care where you are on the road to success, your best is never enough when it's measured by what you can produce. The truth is, there's always someone who can outdo your enough. Position is temporary no matter how vast the knowledge or superior the talent; it's a wonder we even keep trying. You see, we all have an insatiable need for approval but we don't have the means to secure it. We long for the simple, rare find of someone who will say, "The search is over. You are just what we've been looking for." That's called contentment. Do you realize that's what God feels when he finds you?

"...I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment." Song of Solomon 8:10. I know it's a bit of a stretch but when God finds you, his search is really over. No one else will do. He is completely content in just Y.O.U. If God is for you, there's just no other opinion that really matters.

for more info on Cindy's books visit her at www.thesosproject.com