I’m
packing, loading for a trip. I, myself and me, planning on taking four children
on a near 2,000 mile trek, alone. I wonder as I fold up tiny items of clothing
into four open mouthed suitcases: Blue’s Clues, Disney princess, why I am leaving
my earthly protector? It is said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but
I’m already feeling fond. And he takes me aside, he has a gift— he places a new
pink and black purse fitted over a gps in my hands. I guess he wanted to be
sure I could find my way home. This was probably the best gift a girl like me could
be given, a girl who knows nothing more then up and down. My last gps, my sadly
broken gps, he had felt was inadequate. I need a gps for dummies with commands
like, “Your other right.” “Turn left after the light turns green,” and “Turn
here- right here, you’re passing your exit!” I felt very loved. It was a good
gift. I feel, in a way, that his protection is coming with me on my journey.
His heart was to make sure his family would be safe.
God
is a good gift giver. He has more than the “five love languages.” His love is
tangible. Tangible is concrete—undeniable. Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it
will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to
you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds,
and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9Or which one of you,
if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he
asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things
to those who ask him!”
Ask for strength, and He gives me
wings as eagles. Ask for salvation and He gives me His son. Ask for forgiveness
and He gives me paradise. He gives
good gifts. His gifts come from a heart of love.
My
day 21 of romance has come and gone. While, day 14 was an amazing surprise
weekend getaway, day “21” has shown itself in unexpected ways. Yesterday, day
21 was a pillar-of-light-device for me to follow through the wilderness.
Yesterday, love was tangible, a good gift. Behind any meaningful gift are well
planned thoughts. Giving well requires study. I must seek to know the
receiver’s heart, know their likes, dislikes—know their passions. And the intimacy of knowing and being known is romance.
When
my new husband was deployed to Japan, he sent me a box of gifts. One of these
“treasures” (note sarcasm, : ) was a stuffed
frog. No, not a cute little stuffed animal, but a real frog which had been
skinned and lined, and been sewed to a purse handle. Thankfully our dog chewed
it up a few weeks later, because frog skinned purses aren’t, nor ever will be,
on the cutting edge of fashion, or on my wish list. (The freshwater pearls also
included were however.)
My
Jesus knows me. He knows me so well that He emboldens verses in my readings
that press deeply into my heart. Daily He reveals His beauty in the created
world to me. My Jesus sees me—His gaze knows me so well. Ivy says to us from
her buckled seat, “Don’t you think it’s scary that God can see us all the
time?”
We are quiet. Melanie answers, “Wouldn’t it be
scarier if He didn’t?”
My Jesus doesn’t miss a thing, He is intimately
involved in my life.
My longing lies in being known truly. A gift isn’t
about expense, show, or occasion. It can be a handmade card penned with
kindness. Romance is demonstrated in careful choosing, a gift that proves knowing
well, and loving truly. Our I AM knows us better than we know ourselves. He has
given the greatest gift of all. How can a Creator not know His handiwork, down
to the last detail? He
tells me I am worth knowing. Aren’t all
of His creations worth knowing, worth loving? For they are our gifts from
Him too.
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Lord, may I know you intimately through Your word.
May it be a two way conversation, and may I listen with both ears. May I seek
to give to You what You desire. May I seek out what pleases You. May I
demonstrate Your love to others through eyes that see ways to bless, ears that
hear and meet needs, and a heart to know and love. I couldn’t ask for a better
Father. I couldn’t ask for a better gift than what You’ve given.
My love sonnet from Him today are the ones He has given me to love.
Care to see where we've been on this 21 Days of Romance? (Seeking out romance in His word) You might like to see:
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