Intimacy with God (IX) limp lovers, or passionate lovers

I was an innocent 14-year-old, and my fantasies at that age were also innocent. In the era of swashbuckling movies, I would dream of a gorgeous belly dancer feeding me grapes with me lying back on the couch, and my saying to her “You may proceed,” expecting her to smother me with kisses, as I just simply lie there. As I matured I came to realize that that would have been no fun at all for her, rather like kissing a wet sponge! Though this would not have been unrequited love, I would have been what I now think of as being a limp lover. We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (Mark 12:30). In terms of this morning’s post, we are not to be limp lovers of God.

It seems to me that our capacity to love is very dependent upon our history. I’m not saying that I did this perfectly by any stretch of the imagination, but I regard it as the father’s job to love our daughters into life. Most parents do the very, very best with what they were handed. We likely cannot give more than what we receive. The Scriptures say “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 NIV). When we are vitally connected to Him, then our capacity to love is far, far greater, because we then become channels of His love. When we are disconnected from Him, from the very source of love (1 John 4:8), then our capacity to love is diminished. What I am saying, is that all of us at some level, have all been disconnected from the source, and that this has impaired our ability to love others and of course Him.

So what I am saying here, is that many times our love is weak. But even though it is weak, when we love Him with all that we are capable of, then He is greatly pleased. I think of this in terms of what delighted me recently. I was at lunch with my daughter and two granddaughters. The five-year-old, spontaneously looked over at me and said “I love you grandpa!” Do you think my response was “You are only five years old, you don’t even know what love is!” No, no, no it touched my heart, it touched my heart deeply.

Father, I like what Mike Bickle prays, he prays "I am loved, and I love You. Even though my love is weak, it is my position and desire to be a lover of You. Therefore my life is a success.” And Lord, just as I delight in my granddaughters five-year-old love, You too are delighted when we give You our all, even though it might be a lot less than what we would like to give You. It is a processes, and just as my granddaughters love will mature, so too as we continue to love You will our love mature. And as we continue to love You, intimacy with You will deepen too. I do love You Lord in Jesus Name Amen