But I Will Woo Her

Thank you Father for the desire, the wooing of Your heart as You pursue me.
Thank you for following me
In my wandering, my barrenness, my dryness...
Thank you for Your tender thoughts, Your watchful eye, Your constant care
Even in my filth...
How could You want me in this condition?

But even in this mess
You continue to pursue
Offering to me a gateway of Hope!

As I nudge this gate open
Your cascading fountain of light falls upon me as You reveal Your love to me.

The moment of the miracle
When the old is gone and the new comes...
Despair turns to hope, and then awe, and then adoration.
The old way of thinking
The old burden of shame, guilt...lifted,
A new way of thinking...
Transforming me into pure, washed, clean.

 New hopes, new desires
A new relationship...with You, my Maker!

How silly of me to think You were a cruel master
When the desire of Your heart was always turned toward me to bless and prosper me.
Your desire has always been for me to discover Your love
Your desire for me to be Yours, entwined with You
So I could participate in the goodness that You planned and had stored up for me.

Thank you for wooing this heart that was turned away from You
Thank you for the constant unending pursuit.
Thank you for the new label of loved, accepted, righteous one that You have given me.
Forever Yours...

Hosea 2

The Delight of Your Smile

Thank you Lord for this new beginning
Of knowing...that Your smile is upon me...

The day of the lie is past...
The lie of
You are mad,
You don't care,
Your critical eye is upon me,
You are far away,
I have to work hard to obtain your approval...

Thank you for the beginning of this new revelation
This new revelation of Your smile
Your smile of delight upon me...

Your delight in seeing me...
The one You created...with the uniqueness
gifts and talents You created for me.

Your delight in seeing me...
Discover the good things, the good plans, purposes, and destiny
that You planned for me.

Your delight in seeing me...
Discover Your goodness, Your grace, Your love

Your delight in me... becoming Yours
Receiving the abundant life that You gave Your life for me to obtain.

Your delight in me... becoming more...
More and more of all You desire
As You transform me.

Your delight in me...
Your beloved one,
Your daughter...
As You have freely given me all things.

Yes, this is the beginning of looking at life differently
Of waking up in the morning
Filled with thoughts of love, of hope, of possibility
Instead of dread, worry, and fear...
Of seeing today as better, and tomorrow as better yet,
Of looking ahead with the anticipation of Your goodness
Instead of seeing the "what if's" and feeling the fear.

Yes, when I can see Your smile, Your giggle, Your joy
That You have for me...
The sweetness of the Lord fills me with new thoughts, new vision, new hope, new perspective.

Your smile turns the light on...
And all I can do is delight and rejoice in You, Jesus!