We are meant to have a King!

Though every people group on this earth would and should desire the American freedom we enjoy in religion and choices, there is that one backdrop of kingly excellence, and even kingly demands that seems to leave us absolutely lacking in experience about the reverence the King-dom of God is built.

The Biblical story of Queen Esther can be put into a sterile, idealistic environment. It is about the worthy cause of saving the Jewish people. But behind this is the unrealized reality of a forced grouping of the most precious virgins scarfed UP and taken to be a harem for ONE KING for one night (for many of them)…undergoing a YEAR of treatments and training to give ONE King pleasure for that one night, tested if he liked the pleasure they gave him. He apparently had male boys he could choose from, too. Such an “ick” factor. Can we imagine the loss of dignity, especially for those who were severed from their fiances’ arms all for one king!! They could never go back to life as usual, because of the every slight chance the king might want them one more night on a whim of his indulgent pleasure-seeking. So, each worthy maiden would give every part of focus and go into his inner chamber and lose all their treasure.

Can I share something else about a king and his chambers? While the shudder looms above of the plight of Esther and her contemporaries with King Xerxes, the Lord brings to light Song of Solomon 1:4 and 2:4a. “The King (Jesus) brought me into His chambers…He brought me to His banqueting table.” In our busy and full minds, Jesus must initiate in our experience the way to the Secret Place spoken throughout the Bible as we are exhorted to ever draw near (see Heb 4, 6 and 10). This being “brought” is like the Shepherd bringing the lost sheep in from upon His shoulders. These passages say that He indeed does and will initiate bringing us there.

Yesterday, I read the stone cold words “they crucified Him” in Luke 23:33. I sense that for all of us He brings us to His chambers where we deal with the Crucified One. The depth there. While life may push us to occupy a smaller place, in there is our largeness to experience. May the depth of Christ in His Place engulf us so we can become true lights in the world.

When we consider the honor of the Real King’s chambers, how much more does this require of us to enter a Kingdom with a King and give every ounce of ourselves for the pleasure, not of an pleasure-seeking temporary king, but the King WHO GAVE HIMSELF for us!

How Can I?

“I have put off my robe-how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet-how can I soil them again? (S of S 5:4)

Out of life’s necessities we erect artificial boundaries. We can only go this far, we think, and there stands our limit…until One mercifully comes along beckoning us to open to Him at that point of boundary.

In this Scripture this sentiment seems respectfully bestowed upon the Shulamite. As her lover comes to her door, Solomon’s maiden says “HOW CAN I put on my coat?” She has spent her day. The putting off of her coat means a cessation of weary duties and errands. “HOW CAN I” dirty my feet now that I have bathed? The evening has brought the washing away of the day’s sweat and grime. Please leave her short-lived cleanness untouched.

Even Martha can be heard to be saying “HOW CAN I”…sit in repose when much is to be done. I even wonder if we can hear it in the heart of Lot’s wife: “HOW CAN I leave my life here? This is the home my children were raised, filled and decorated with cherished memories. This is the town I have prayed for…these are the relationships cultivated, growing deeper roots as each season turned.”

“How can I?” In His mercy, there will be a softening going on at the edges of these long-guarded limits. And it will happen by the One who draws near out of the evening with his “head filled with dew, his locks with the drops of the night” (vs 2). He leaves some of His fragrance by the handles of the door, and we begin to repent. Will we still refrain because of well-established excuses? Or will we soften? If we shall not, won’t we too learn the lesson of such starvation for His fellowship, roaming through the streets to find the true worth of the things we held at bay.

We will be “sick of love” (vs 8). ————————–

What is beautiful to us? Does anything enrapture us?

A few things come to mind, but do they take our heart to a world outside its own? Or do they not rattle our own confines? Are these things truly “the beautiful”?

Asked, “Is Jesus ravishing your heart?” Is that even expected? To ravish means “TO TRANSPORT with emotion, esp. joy and delight.” Rather, unstirred, comfortable, not wishing to be transported, wanting to be just left alone.

But He will ravish. The heart is created place to be filled with delight for Him – that pliable place that has become a heart of flesh (Ez 11:19). How sad to waste the occupancy of the heart in the marathon of life void of such a relationship!

He will ravish our heart (S of Song 4:9). And tasting we will become pliable and “fleshy,” and desire to return again and again.

A B Simpson’s experience overflowed into opening an unexpectant heart…”Do you see the glory of God in the face of Jesus? The glory of God’s compassionate grace, the glory of His conquering love, the glory of His constraining mercy, the glory of His almighty power, the glory of His sanctifying truth, the glory of His satisfying beauty, the glory of His all-comforting tenderness, the glory of His sufficient strength, and the glory of His all-glorious Person.”

This be Jesus, ours. Let us turn in unto Him again, flexible to see what may….—————————