The Day I Fell in Love

Valentine's Day! Our entire nation celebrates love! I think it is wise to celebrate love, especially the God of love. To celebrate Valentine's Day, I decided to share an intimate secret with my blog readers. When did I fall in love with Jesus? Well, I will tell you.

Anyone who has fallen in love knows that those feelings were triggered by a moment, an emotion, and a revelation. It begins with an initial attraction. This grows to an appreciation. Eventually, your heart is united to this person by an unbreakable bond. 

I remember spending hours in the prayer room mediating on Songs of Solomon. Saturating in the word helped to nurture a healthy obsession. I realized that God loved me, but I hadn't fallen in love with Him yet. I was extremely interested in God. He fascinated me. However, it never occurred to me that I could love Him like a bride loves her bridegroom. By God's leading, I sat under solid Biblical teaching. I learned that God wanted to marry His people; I learned that Jesus was a jealous groom with fiery eyes. Jesus rescued me from my broken heart.

After I accepted this radical teaching, I told people I was in love with God. This was at the beginning of our courtship. I could say the words because I really believed I was in love! However, I didn't truly fall in love until....

I was listening to a sermon by Corey Russell. He was preaching on John 17. This is the high priestly prayer that Jesus prays to the Father in the garden of Gethsemane. Suddenly, I could see an image in my mind's eye. I could see my Lord fervently praying to the Father. I could see Jesus's companions sleeping. I could feel the ache in my Lord's heart. When He spoke the phrase, "Not my will, but Your's be done", my heart became His forever. As He lived that moment of history, He won my heart. That was the day I fell in love with Him. 

Singing glorious biblical poetry over my soul, like Songs of Solomon, helped to stir my love and prepare my spirit. However, I was pleasantly surprised when a Gospel account of a secret, garden prayer vigil sealed my affections. Happy Valentine's Day. May you find love in unexpected places.