A Revelation of Love

I have a deep desire within my feminine heart to be loved, chosen, sought after, and highly treasured. Tonight, as I was laying in bed, pondering who Jesus is, He revealed His love to me.

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I envision a girl in her teens, standing on a wooden block, surrounded by a crowd of people.  Her long hair is dark brow, dirty and badly tangled.  Her face is dirty, her clothes are ripped and filthy, and she is barefoot.  Her hands are bond in chains, as she hopelessly hangs her head.  When she looks up, her eyes are empty, yet filled with anger.  The chains em-bonding are fastened to the wooden block she is standing on. The crowd of people surrounding her, are filthy, wicked men, all bidding on her. She is a slave. Dirty, homeless, worthless, no better than an animal.  She has no refined manners, no beautiful clothes, no brushed hair, or soft skin to make her attractive.  She is repulsive to those who look at her, and undeserving of anything beautiful or good in life. 

The men around her continue talking, but not bidding, for nobody wants her.  Each man hopes that the other will take her so as they can move on to better goods.  All of a sudden, the harsh voices turn to curious whispers, and the people begin to part.  They all turn heads to the back of the crowd to see a tall, regal man walking towards the wooden slave block.  As he draws closer the whispers die down, and all eyes are fixed on this one man.  He is tall, broad-shouldered, with dark, wavy hair and a dignified air about him.  The grand suit of armor he is wearing is seasoned with imperfections of previous wars - his noble sword hanging from his side.  He stops when he comes to the young girl. He slowly pulls a brown, leather pouch from his side and hands it to the man holding the chaines of the slave girl.  The seller opens the pouch, looks inside, and looks back meets eyes with the stranger.  He raises his eyebrows in question, and meets the confident, yet humble gaze of the man.  Slowly, he hands over the chains, and a key to the noble man.  He reaches for the girl's wrists, and delicately unlocks the chains that are binding her.  Tenderly, he grabs her hand and leads her out of the crowd.  They come to a road right outside of the city she was in, and he stops.  She dare not look up at him, for fear of meeting eyes with him.  Yet he gently tilts her chin upwards, and they meet eyes.

"I have bought your freedom.  It is yours.  You do not have to be a slave to anyone anymore.  If you want, you can come with me, and have joy, peace, hope and love in my home... Or, you can go back to a life of despair, pain and bondage.  It's your choice."

Bewilderment fills the girl's heart and mind as she tries to think up all the possible reasons why someone would do that for her.  "Why? What do you want from me?"

"I honestly don't want anything from you...except your love.  I love you.  I chose you.  I redeemed you.  And I want you to experience the joy that comes from being free, and truly loving me.  I don't want you to serve me, or try to earn you freedom - there's nothing you could ever do to earn that.
I truly want you to accept my gift to you, and rest in my love for you, and experience true life!"

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That girl was me.  I was dirty, wretched, angry...in bondage to sin, when Jesus walked into my life and rescued me.  I was sinful and fully deserving of eternal punishment, and separation from God.  Because He is holy, and I was not.  Yet, for some reason, Jesus loved me.  He saw me, headed towards death, and stepped in, and took what I deserve. 

He loved me.  He chose me.  He bought my freedom.  He promises to bless my life and daily pour out His blessings on me.  But, I did nothing to deserve it!  He gave me the whole world, and I rejected Him, countless times.  However, He has never given up on me.  He's never gotten tired of me.  He's never despised me.  He hates my sin - because it separates me from Him. So, He did all He could to make a way for that sin to be gone from my life, so I could know Him. 

He pursued me.  He sought for me, fought for me, and died for me.  He did all that to woo my heart - to win my love.  All along, that's all He's every wanted, is for me to love Him.  That's what He's been longing for from the beginning of time is a relationship - deep, intimate and loving - with me.

And as I was lying in bed, it hit me, "Why?  Why would you want to love a wretch like me?  Why would you want me?"  I still don't know.  But I do know this - Jesus Christ is Love itself.  He loves.  And His love isn't dependent on how we respond to Him.  It just is.  His love is constant, never-changing, higher than the mountains, broader than the sea, satisfying, beautiful, exciting, and ever-giving, yet never running out.  And just like He wanted me, He wants you. 

He loves you.  He chose you.  He is seeking you out showing you His great love.  He wants you to be freed from the bondage you're in, and He wants you to experience His joy, peace, hope, love and life.
He wants you to love Him back -  He longs to be loved by you.  He yearns to pour out His blessings upon you, He wants to fill you up and satisfy your every desire, He wants to have an intimate relationship with you and share His joys, secrets and sorrows. 

He is waiting for you.  He has offered you the choice, what will you decide?

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"You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."  Jeremiah 29:11

"For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things."  Psalm 107:9"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."  Colossians 2:13-14
"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  Romans 10:9

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!"  Psalm 34:8