What I find is that I begin to write only to come upon a thought or concept I don't quite understand. I am being transformed by the love of Jesus. My hunger and thirst for Him increase day by day. I'm so desperate for Jesus! My heart looks to and fro, I desire tangible love! A love I can touch and hold.
But I'm learning to press into Jesus and be consumed by His presence, His Spirit, His love! I'm learning to consecrate myself, set myself apart for His glory! Learning to adorn myself in HIS beauty and righteousness!
What does it actually mean to be the Bride of Christ- His Beloved? I don't fully know and yet it's already who I am. I am His Beloved! YOU are His Beloved! We were made for more! We are not to settle for a false love!! I know one day I will be married to a godly and righteous man who wholeheartedly loves Jesus and loves me. But until then I find that the most valuable thing I can do is embrace my singleness by learning to give Jesus all of me- every hope, every desire, every ache, every dream. So that when I eventually get married, i still give Jesus ALL OF ME, and my husband gets the overflow of blessings of my love for Jesus by then knowing how to love my husband fully. Because I know how to love and receive the love of Jesus.
Jesus is worthy of ALL OF US! I am learning to surrender day by day! I am learning to live cruciform. I am being awakened to the worthiness and kindness of Jesus. Is He not the most captivating, far above all others? Oh yes, He by far is the most captivating.
On the old rugged cross, He bore it all. All our sin, all our shame, our iniquity, insecurity, foolish decisions, stubborn reactions, etc.. Anything and everything that could separate us from the love of our Father, Jesus bore on the cross. The exchange for all of our sin? The entirety of Jesus Christ- His love, righteousness, purity, grace, purpose, kindness, mercy, vision, hope, peace and more. We get ALL OF JESUS- we have FREEDOM, because He bore the fullness of the punishment we deserved.
Everyday we say yes to Jesus and choose to surrender and submit our will to Him, we are taken higher. There are challenges every day, but Jesus is with us every step of the way. He promises to never leave or forsake us. But He loves us with an everlasting love- the most fulfilling love we will ever know.
So I'm learning to be Jesus' Bride, to bear His name, to be one with Him. Life is a journey and we never have to go it alone. I don't yet see Jesus with my naked eye, and yet I cannot take my eyes off of Him. I cannot yet physically hug Him, and yet I feel His warm and loving embrace around me daily.
Time after time He tells me I am worthy, I am worth it, I am worth more. He tells me not to settle, but to know who I am and what my standards are. He tells me the more I say yes to Him, the easier and more worth it but my no's to the world will be!
How many times will it take to believe I am who God says I am!? How many times do I need Jesus to tell me that I am worth far more, until I actually believe it? Well, the good news is that Jesus is gracious! He will tell me as often as I need it, until and beyond the moment when my heart understands and believes.
We are loved so much more than we are in the present moment. We are so loved that Jesus refines, transforms and makes us more like Him. He leads us on an everlasting, straight and narrow path. He has good for us. He desires to lavish us with love and blessing, He simply asks for our hearts, our "yes", our surrender and for selflessness. To choose Jesus more than our very own lives. For to live is Christ, to die is gain. The one who loves their life loses it, and the one who loses their life gains it.
Jesus knows us fully. It is now our responsibility to seek to know Jesus fully. No easy feet for sure, but to know Jesus, to desire to know Him more and love Him rightly- is so worth it all. Awaken to the pure and fulfilling love of Jesus Christ for you. Your name is Beloved- you are dearly loved.