More than a fairytale

If the old fairytale ending “They lived happily ever after” is taken to mean “They felt for the next fifty years exactly as they felt the day before they were married,” then it says what probably never was nor ever could be true, and would be highly undesirable if it were. Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? What would become of your work, your appetite, your sleep, your friendships? But, of course, ceasing to be “in love” need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense—love as distinct from “being in love” is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit (C.S Lewis, Mere Christianity). 

Lord, 

I don’t want the feelings and mere thoughts of love to entrap me in a relationship with you. Sweet feelings and pretty thoughts are nice, but they don’t expand love to be more than a fairy-tale. Our mutual love for each other is a tale, but a fairy does not wave his or her wand in the passion and pursuit for us to become closer. It is true; you have loved me first; you found me; I didn’t find you. You say, “I love you” equally to the person to the left and right of me; you don’t say, “I love being in love with you” in the context of leaving loving us for even the slightest second- you are in love with us unconditionally. Don’t strengthen the callousness of my heart; instead, weaken the callousness so that the surface can be ready to receive. My heart’s surface has received, and through the past 2 years I’ve deliberately tried strengthening my love for you by habit- through joyful worship and lively praise; therefore, with the expanse of your grace and mercy each day, I find the roots of your love inhabited at the deepest areas of my heart. Thank you 😀

Smoothie

Lord, 

I’m always thinking of ways to secure my future- whether I follow plan A or plan B, the revelation is that while man need plans, all you created was within one singular plan; Genesis through Revelation you were able to use the weaknesses of man to fulfill your plan- to bring Heaven on Earth and restore humanity through Christ. May the importance of my plans not come from their respective destinations,  but from the journey set before me. From the breaking of its shell, to the eating of the yolk, the richest and most nutritious part of my plans come from core of who you are. You love to express yourself and reveal greater glory to those who seek it. My plans without your glory is mere folly- it is a huge blunder rather than a blender filled with your divine majesty and my will to give you all honor and praise. It’s the perfect smoothie. If Plan A doesn’t work, I know I can rely on Plan B- Be all that I am in you. 

 

Oh, Happy Day

Christ was hung on a cross, and later lain in a tomb. But the grave could not hold Him down. He was hung, and lain, but seated at the right hand of the Father. Let me rephrase: He is seated, not hung or lain. Or as I take from the Sedar meal, I see Him reclining and rejoicing in celebration- that when a sinner uses His grace to become a saint or when an infant uses the embrace of a parents arms to find shelter, Christ throws His pierced hands in the air. His hands are raised and rays of light penetrate those holes; a Holy God was wholly other, yet became part of our story; there are holes in his hands but not in His heart. He is holy, pure and wholly pure. He is risen.