BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME...I LOVE...BECAUSE YOU SPEAK TO ME...I LOVE

I HAVE FELT YOUR HOLY SPIRIT FLY WITHIN MY HEART AND COO THE SOFT MURMURING SOUND OF LOVE...THE SOUND OF GRACE AND PEACE AND REST.
HOW CAN I NOT LOVE YOU, MY LOVE

YOUR LOVE HAS COME TO REACH OUT TO ALL WHO WILL TO LOVE
YOUR LOVE HAS COME TO LIFT THE BROKEN OF BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT...

I HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN OF SO MUCH...AND YOUR LOVE'S MERCY REACHES OUT TO ME EVERY MOMENT OF MY LIFE...FORGIVING, FORGETTING, SUSTAINING, PREPARING, STRENGTHENING, KEEPING...ALL AND MORE IN THE POWER OF YOUR LOVE.

I CAN DO NOTHING BUT LOVE YOU...FOR YOU HAVE DRAWN ME TO YOUR BOSOM AND I FEEL YOUR LOVE PERMEATE MY VERY BEING...

I AM YOURS, AND YOU ARE MINE...MY LOVE... IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I MUST LOVE OR DIE.
LORD, WHEN I FEEL LIKE I DON'T LOVE...I DIE...I DIE
HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL FOR DOUBTING YOUR LOVE IN ME, FOR LOOKING TO MYSELF TO GIVE LOVE...
I AM LOST WITHOUT YOUR LOVE...AND WHEN YOU DRAW ME NEAR, GENTLY CALLING MY NAME, I CAN DO NOTHING BUT COME...FOR MY SOUL KNOWS YOUR LOVE...IT HAS DELIVERED ME FROM THE POWER OF SIN AND DEATH...IT COMFORTS MY SOUL AND BRINGS JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY...

THANK YOU FOR THE PAIN OF NOT KNOWING OR UNDERSTANDING...FOR IT HAS PRESSED ME INTO YOUR ARMS AGAIN...

FORGIVE ME, FORGIVE ME ..LOVER OF MY SOUL, MY BELOVED ONE...MY GOD

~Joy~

Lord...when I read verses like these I am completely set back. I think of the those who came out of Egypt and couldn't approach or touch the Mt. of God lest they die...how no one but the high priest could enter the Holy of Hollies...

I come to you myself and confess that I am guilty of not realizing the seriousness of approaching a Holy God...How I'm sure I come with the corruption of my daily living, not coming clean before you in reverence and fear.

How do I say thank you for the shed blood of your Son, which cleanses me of all unrighteousness? How do I say thank you for the work of forgiveness, for your patience, for your undying love. Is it possible for even my praise to come before you untarnished by my wayward thoughts...by my lack of understanding and and outright apathy...? I confess being unenthusiastic and pathetically indifferent at times...half hearted and leaning toward being dangerously lukewarm...

You see all that is going on in my life...I will not use one thing for an excuse to be or feel the way I do...I simply come before you, just as I am and bow my head in shame and surrender. Thou art a consuming fire...consume all that offends you my Lord...this is my earnest prayer...