Say YES!

Here comes Valentine’s day… again! UGH!  I was heartbroken to watch a video clip once on social media that showed a man down on one knee, popping the question with ring in hand, only to see the girl shake her head “no”, turn and walk away!  The look on his face said it all.  I was so hoping she would have said a resounding YES!!  We all love happy endings.  How heartbreaking and disappointed we can feel for him that she said no instead.

There is a reason why at heart we all love a good romance.  I’m not talking the kind of trashy romance void of commitment, I’m talking good, down to earth, sweet, honest, old-fashioned heart racing, “I want to be with you forever” kind of romance!  When you are so in love with someone that he or she dominates your thoughts until they are like scrambled eggs in your head, leaving you giddy.  When your heart races at the mention of their name.  When you close your eyes and see their smile or have every contour of their face emblazoned in your memory.  When you desire to know all there is to know about them and want to anticipate their every need.  Your thoughts are not on what they can do for you but what you can do for them instead.  Your heart aches when you’re apart, and you can’t wait to hear the sound of their voice or feel their touch.

Have you ever given much thought towards God?  Most people don’t.  They can go hours, days, weeks, months, and even years without giving much thought towards Him and even when they do, many don’t think of Him as a real person capable of being powerful let alone intimate.  But the bible tells us that God’s thoughts towards us outnumber the sand, and that He IS intimately acquainted with all our ways (Psalms 139:3,17-18).  Why?  Because He passionately loves us as a LOVER would! 

The third chapter of the book of Jeremiah tells us that He loves us with an everlasting love and draws us with an unfailing kindness.  We learn, too, from the books of John that He loved us so much He gave His life for us so that we too could have life (REAL life) and live eternally with Him; that He IS in fact love itself, and that there is no fear in His love, for His love casts out fear. Also, in keeping with true love, His desire is for us, because He tells us “I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for harm, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

True religion is not about a bunch of do’s and don’ts.  It’s about an invitation from the living God of this universe to us, to you, to have a passionate, intimate relationship with Him.  An invitation that is just waiting for our spirits to rise within us and say “YES”!!  As a matter of fact, the YES is all He requires of us.  Why? Because He knows that is all we are capable of.  He knows that in us, that is in our flesh, dwells no good thing (Romans 7:18).  So, He plants a seed of faith that sprouts when we say yes, and each time we say yes, that seed has a chance to grow.  Without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that He is real and that He rewards the faith of those who passionately seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Author Mike Bickle puts it this way: “It takes the power of God to make God known.  It takes the knowledge of God to enable mankind to love God.  It takes God to love God, and it takes God to know God”.

Why then, you might ask, does He require anything from us at all?  Why not just do it all?  Why not just save everyone, regardless if they say yes to Him or not, or if they ever seek Him or not?  That’s a fair question.  Have you ever asked yourself that question when it comes to your love for someone?  Why would you or I ever pour our hearts out for someone who does not love us in return?  I know for me the thought of giving my life away to someone who did not reciprocate would be heartbreaking.

God doesn’t want forced, mechanical love.  Just like us, He wants love that is reciprocated, and that’s what the YES within our spirits represents.  If we are willing to say yes, and then continue in our lifetimes saying yes to Him over and over again each time He calls, each time He speaks, each time He desires to spend time with us, each time He wants to reveal Himself to us, then all the promises of God are ours!

Will you say yes?