CAN YOU HEAR THE TURTLEDOVE?

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 17 April 2012

Hi all,

Thanks for the feedback on the new format. It will be used in future.

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Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

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Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 17 April 2012
INTRODUCTION	DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	CAN YOU HEAR THE TURTLEDOVE?
Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me, now that I can dance? Anyone remember this hit record? It does go back in few years. But I still remember the question being “belted out” by the pop singer of the day. Who he was I’ve forgotten. The question cannot be forgotten though. The connection between dancing and love is still vague. But the music was good. Unless it was Jerry and the Pacemakers. Perhaps he needed a pacemaker to be loved while dancing? Loving and being loved is one of the greatest needs we have today or any other day. We all need someone to love; some say we must love ourselves before we can love others. There is a measure of truth in this. But what would we do if there was no one else to love? It would drive us mad. We have been made in the image of God. We know that God is love. It follows that we need to love and be loved. One of the most convincing proofs that God is at least three in one is the issue of love. There must be someone else to love and to be loved. Thus there must be at least two members of the “Trinity”. But without a third person, love is little more than a double appreciation society. Of course a husband and wife can love each other deeply and passionately. But the union is not complete without a “by” product! A husband and wife are fine when they are together on their own. But fulfilment comes when that love produces another person. It’s not a trinity! A threesome is a better expression. But God is the perfect threesome. Each person of the Godhead loving the other. It’s Divine perfection. We need to understand this to realise the sacrifice the Father made to be separated from the Son when Jesus died on the cross. Even knowing in advance that His Son would be “raised from the dead’ it must have been “traumatic” for the Father and the Spirit to be “torn away” from the Son on account of our sin! Because He is love in all its many aspects, God knows all about the intimate life of a man and his wife. He should. He designed it perfectly. Every portion perfectly positioned for absolute physical fulfilment! A Miracle placed into the hands of men and women - no less! Tragically the media has cheapened it to the place where it has become a glandular thrill! Now God desires to have the same sort of relationship with us as He has designed for a husband and his wife.  Amazing! The consummation of our love is described beautifully for us in Song of Songs. The Jewish people refer to this book as the Holy of Holies! How else? Perhaps this explains why He is jealous of us and wants us to be obedient! My relationship with Him and your relationship with Him is likened to a bride and groom. Indeed, we are called the bride of Christ! When Jesus returns we will all attend the wedding feast. The principal difference will be the fact that we are all part of His bride! How does that work? Please don’t ask me. Take the question to your heavenly bridegroom. Whisper the words lovingly into His ear and listen to His reply! He will give you an answer that will “blow you away”! Today’s meditation takes this to the very throne room of God! Enjoy! Jim and Phyllida Strickland	Take me with you. Let's run away. The king has brought me into his private rooms. [The chorus of young women] We will celebrate and rejoice with you. We will praise your expressions of love more than wine. How right it is that the young women love you! Song of Songs 1:4 GW	The Lord says that He loves us with a love that is Divine! I wish that I could understand. It’s so much more than mine. The language which He uses is very intimate. The sort that married couples alone should contemplate. A physical attraction we cannot comprehend, Combined with a devotion that will never have and end. God’s love is everlasting. He’s drawn us to Himself. He wants us to be with Him, not sitting on the shelf. His love for us is jealous. He doesn’t tolerate, Our running after other gods. That’s something which He hates. We know we are encompassed with bands that cannot break. A covenant commitment, He never will forsake! He’s said He’s always with us and will not let us down. He wants us all to “marry” Him and wear His bridal gown. We know His yoke is easy and that His burden’s light. And though we cannot see Him, we’re always in His sight! We know that we can spurn Him; that we can walk away. But He’ll continue loving us although we go astray. This is incomprehensible and far above my head. And He says He’ll pursue us until the day we’re dead. It isn’t very difficult for people to respond. He doesn’t use compulsion and has no magic wand! He woos us like a lover, looking for his mate; Testing our fidelity and knowing we must wait, Until the marriage nuptials when we will all be free, To love Him with a passion experientially. There’s no one better suited. None other we prefer. Our “husband” is from heaven, to Him we all defer. He is the very Lamb of God, our Lord, our Mighty King! We give Him our submission and will wear His wedding ring. He watched us from a distance and offered us His love, Before we were aware that He is Christ, the Lord above! He sees us all as beautiful; a woman in her prime, Longing for her husband and aching for the time, When love is consummated and we are all His own, Living in His palace which He has made our home. Can you hear the turtledove and see the flowers bloom? The evidence of Jesus Christ our heavenly bridegroom. Jim Strickland – written Tuesday 17th April 2012.
	Long ago the LORD said to Israel: "I have loved you, My people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself. Jeremiah 31:3 NLT
	I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them. Hosea 11:4 ESV
	And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." John 12:32 ESV
	The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" John 1:35-36 ESV
	And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:14-15 KJV
	Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Psalm 73:25 ESV
	We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 KJV
	My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Song of Songs  2:10-12 ESV