"A New Season"
"Relationship" (Relational Love: part
9)
I come to know Jesus, the Good
Shepherd, as I experience his fresh and green pastures and his
restful waters. They are truly his, for they are of his heart.
His heart is rich "heart land" containing both "fields of green" and living
streams". Jesus leads me to his "heart meadows" and "soul streams". He feeds me
with his word and quenches my thirst with his Holy Spirit. He is both food and
drink for me: This is my Body for you; this is my Blood for you. He is the
Lamb.
I come to know Jesus also through the
reality of my deep, spiritual hunger and thirst. He satisfies my soul as I
follow him to his "mystical meadows" rich in contemplative grazing, and as he
guides me to his pure, spiritual streams that flow from the hidden recesses of
his wounded side: "The Lord will give you the bread you need and the
water for which you thirst" (Is. 30:20). Our relationship grows as I
experience restoration, revival and refreshment for my soul: "For he
satisfied the thirsty, filled the hungry with good things" (Psalm 107:9)
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, leads me as
one who has known hunger and thirst, himself--as one who lives in a human
nature: "He was hungry" (Luke 4:2); "Give me a drink" (John 4:7). In our
relationship he transforms my hunger and thirst to be more like his. He awakens within me a hunger and thirst
of a different order : A hunger to do
the Father's will, and a thirst for the salvation of souls (see John 4:34;
John 19:28). He forms me to relate to hungry and thirsty humanity in a new
way--to recognize, respect and reverence his presence in others: "For I
was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me
drink" (Mt. 25:35). He forms me to identify with, to feel for, to relate
to--and hence to intercede on behalf of--"spiritually starved and dehydrated"
humanity today. He teaches me how to pray his life into the 'barren
heights' and 'dried up stream beds' of people's hearts.
"He guides me in right paths"
(Psalm 23:3). How important it is for a contemplative intercessor to recognize
the authentic 'leadings' of the Shepherd; He truly gives me spiritual
"direction". He gives me "relational" discernment (discernment in the context
of our intimate relationship): "This is the way; walk in it" (Is. 30:21). He
gives my life proper orientation: "The sheep follow him because they
recognize his voice" (John 10:4). All of his paths are right because "all
the paths of the LORD are faithful love" (Psalm 25:10). He forms me,
mentors me, trains me in his faithful love so that I may love in the world as
he does.
Questions:
1) Am
I experiencing a growth in my hunger to do God's will, and my thirst for the
salvation of souls?
2) How
strongly do I 'identify' (have a heart for) spiritually-deprived humanity
today?
Scriptures:
Any scripture from the text; Is. 49:9-10; Is. 55:1-3;
John10:14
