Friendship

I was just blessed the other day by a one of my friends. I was sharing with her some of my struggles, all I expected was a listening ear and a prayer partner, yet I got more than that. Lately, I have frequently been amazed by the people God has placed in my life. Not that He hasn't placed amazing people in my life before but this time it is different. I think part of this is just having my eyes open and a heart willing to receive. I have seen how important it is for us to love one another and what a friend truly looks like.

Over the past months, I have been able to really share deep issues, life, fun, crisis, love, and understanding with some close friends. I will have to say that it is such a blessing to know that I have friends that are willing to dedicate their time, strength, and even their money to me. I can't express in words how much I am thankful to God for His provision in my life and it makes me excited to see what the future will look like. Even when we think we are unworthy, His grace is enough, and His love never fails. And His love is what I want to cling to. So here is a poem I wrote about one of my friends and God's love in our relationship.

Meli

One day a generous person I met
She spoke and made a request
A request to offer of herself
The next time she did fulfill
Strong and courageous she can be
Hope and compassion for the world to see
Desire to give encouragement I see in her
Desire to give love I see in her
Discernment and direction she does relieve
Giving and going she does receive
Thanksgiving and praise she does give
To the One in her heart she does live
Listen and learn she has learned
She has given care and concern
Time was not a factor
Time was not what stopped her
She gave me love, that I did believe
She gave me hope, that I did see
She gave me faith, that I did receive
She gave her strength
She was drained for me
But strength was hers for all to see
For strength came from the One in her
Sweet like honey she is to me
For strength carried her through and stuck to me
She held me in her arms
She screamed in anguish for me
She felt my pain, as I lay benign
She encourage and walked me in the right direction
Yet for a moment all I saw was her correction
Could I miss all that she did for me?
For all I do see is her compassion for me
I see how much she is to me
But most of all I do see
Something bigger inside of her and me
And that is what she and me do cling
Thank goodness she showed me how it could be
Thank goodness God put her in my life
Just when I needed a friend like her
Just when I needed strength of more
Meli, thanks for loving me
Meli, thanks for showing me God's strength for me
Never stop listening to the One
Never stop desiring to fulfill His desires
For generous will you be to many in need
Giving of God's love to many in need
A sister you are to me
Love from me to you, Meli

Epic Love

How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes behind your veil are doves.
Your hair is like a flock of goats
descending from Mount Gilead.
Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep,
which have come up from the washing.
Each has its twin;
not one of them is alone.


Your lips are like scarlet ribbon;
your mouth is lovely.
Your temples behind your veil
are like the halves of a pomegranate.
Your neck is like the tower of David,
built with elegance;
on it hang a thousand shields,
all of them shields of mighty men.
Your two breasts are like two fawns,
like twin fawns of a gazelle
that feed among the lilies.


Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of myrrh
and to the hill of incense.
You are all fair, my love;
there is no flaw in you.
Song of Solomon 4:1-7


My goal over the next year or so is to read through the whole Bible. Last week I read Song of Solomon. As I was thinking about what we have come to understand about Song of Solomon and the songs (and/or psalms) that Solomon wrote. I realized how true these words could be in so many ways. When we see someone we love and truly love them with our whole heart, we look at the good things; their best qualities. When we truly desire to express to someone how we feel about them we don't say, "well, I don't like that you do this or you should be more this." We instead talk about their flawless qualities (as Solomon does in his letter), we talk about those qualities that first attracted us to the person to begin with, the delightful things we see as we spend time with that person. Yes, we may see and acknowledge those qualities that are not so fair and beautiful but we don't focus on them. I think this is how God sees us, He recognizes our flaws but desires to focus on those beautiful qualities that He has created in us.


There are a few different theories about the love letter in Song of Solomon. Some believe it was written from a man to a woman, while others believe it is an allegorical representation of our relationship with God, while still others connect it with the relationship between God and the nation of Israel, and some see it as the reflection of Christ and His church. However, no matter how you see it or from who to whom it is written. The words written are of the feeling behind a relationship, metaphors of how things look in the eyes of the loved and beloved. Maybe this is why I find this passage so interesting because if focuses on the meaning and feeling behind the words. It is an epic example of the perpetual delight in a relationship of love. A love that we all seek and desire from a relationship. One that is right in front of our face, yet feels out of our grasp at times. The Song of Solomon love seems to encompass the aspect of creation and the simple concept of all created life being both holy and blessed, including human sexuality.

I feel our world has polluted this concept of love within human sexuality. Instead of encompassing all aspects of love, the secular world, and even Christians look just at the physical and emotional. Maybe part of this has to do with the same reason that we forget to look at the meaning behind words or the intent behind a picture. We only see what we see with our eyes, instead of the underneath. My life has been impacted by this physical aspect of love or maybe I should say the lack of love in the physical; the exploitation, controlling, pleasure seeking aspect in the disillusionment of the physical. But as I read Song of Solomon, I could picture in my head how much more there is to love than just the physical, how much more there is to God's creation, and how much more there is to the simple word beauty. I realized that I don't want to focus just on the love in the physical or the emotional need for love, but I also want to remember the love in creation, the meaning behind the words, and the metaphorical delights found in taking pleasure in an epic love that has no end. A love that doesn't stop with the physical and emotional, but instead also touches the spiritual, bring back the delight in God's creation and recognizing the purity in true beauty.

Never A Capella

I was chatting with some people at lunch the other day and someone made a comment about how all the conversations they have had lately seem to involve discussion of relationships. Not just friendship relationships but the whole man, woman going out/dating/getting married relationship stuff. Ironically, but an hour earlier I was asked if I was spending time with any "particular" guy.

So, I started thinking about how much our world revolves around relationships, not just friendships but intimate relationships. We all crave a deeper connection with someone, right? I mean, who wants to grow old alone? I then started contemplating my life, looking at the times when I really desired to have that intimate connection with someone and times when I was content. In the midst of this contemplation, I realized that my contentment rested on spending quality time with God and building my relationship with Him. Not that I didn't still desire that connection with another person but I was content and at peace with where I was at. During the times I pulled away from God, there was something missing, feelings a loneliness became stronger.

I trust that God made us to be relational with Him, with our friends, and of course with our spouse (for those seeking marriage). Relation seems to be build into the very core of our being. How could we not seek out and desire something more from the people around us, and ultimately from God? It is sad to think that people miss out or when in a relationship they still feel alone and empty. They miss the conceptualization that God should be the core that builds the foundation within all other relationships. Here is just a simple little poem I wrote to remind me that I am never alone. Even when that one special relationship comes along for me, I will always have the promise that God is with me, and no one ever grows old alone when they choose God.

A Capella Not Seen

Alone I will never be
For there is something great inside of me
Watching and waiting for the world to see
Alone I will never be
Rainbows fall across the sky, pretty
Mist of love indeed
For love holds me
For love unfolds me
Alone I will never be
You can find it just look and see
Something inside of me
Lean not on yourself or me
Lean on the One meant for thee
Just like a little bee
Drawn to the honey tree

Alone I will never be
A Capella not seen