"The Look!"

 "My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him." (S.O.S. 5:4)

  Maybe it is easier to consider this a love story, as it no doubt is; but to understand the heart of God, we need to look beyond our hearts, our passions, and our way of knowing love. Something that was said yesterday at church really spoke into what was on my heart, that only God knows the secret things, we get to know that which is known; or something like that. But it challenges us to want to know God more; to know the One that knows all and is the One in control. 

  As I was thinking about this verse, I couldn't help but think of Peter and that look! Which one, is hard to say, as they both were instrumental in forming the man. The first look, was the one where Peter was sinking into the water, as he looked up to Jesus as he felt his life being taken; the second, was when looked over at Jesus, after he heard the rooster crow, as he felt his life being crushed.

  There are really some very powerful lessons to be learned in those looks; but none so powerful as this, because in this love story, He is not looking back! I know that might sound as if there might be some assumption being made; but to be perfectly honest with ourselves, we must not pretend know why God does certain things, and why He does not do other things: but everything He does, He does for His to purposes and for His glory! 

  Matthew Henry sets this up, saying, "The powerful influences of divine grace, by which she was made willing to rise and open to her beloved." If you can think back, to that moment you opened your heart to the Lord, was He looking at you? or was He looking through you? Was your gaze fixed upon His eyes, or upon His hands? I can vividly remember Him, and He gazed to the side and downward, as I saw Him hanging on the cross. Which is exactly the gaze I see on the other side of this door! 

  Something that was mentioned before, by what Matthew Henry said, "He sues for entrance who may demand it; he knocks who could easily knock down the door", is brought into a new and stranger light, as we see that He could have easily unlocked that door, but did not; making it based upon her choice and her wishes. Think what that means, let it sink in! I can remember one thing that kept me from giving in: my unwillingness to be moved, my stubbornness to be made to do anything; my complete unwillingness to know the truth, because the truth that I already knew was damning enough! 

  This is divine grace, which is so much more than mercy: mercy will give me a sigh of relief from what was to come; but divine grace gives me excitement for what comes next...Aw heck why not both...

"Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory." (Romans 5:1-2) NLT