Dear People Who Keep Company With God,

 

When Moses and Aaron first approached Pharaoh and requested he let God’s people go so they could serve Him, Pharaoh asked the question of all questions, the question every human being at some point in his or her life will wrestle with and ultimately will answer.

 

And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” Exodus 5:2

 

The way we as believers answer this question will determine the course of the rest of our life on this earth and in heaven. We are going to heaven when our physical bodies die on this earth, but what we do for eternity is being determined by our continual response to this question. We are in a time much like when the Lord asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” (Matt. 16:15). I believe the Father is releasing a fresh revelation of Christ just as He did with Peter. Every new revelation of Him leads to a new revelation of our identity, purpose and calling (Matt. 16:16-19).

 

This is really a wonderful place to be, but like it was with Peter, it can be treacherous if we allow our experience and knowledge to interfere with the new revelations He is releasing (Matt 16:22-23). As Arthur Burt once said, “One of the greatest threats to my relationship with the Lord is what He has already done in my life.” Here are some of the things He has been showing me recently that has helped me in my quest for a fresh answer to “Who is the Lord?”

 

My beloved is mine, and I am his. SOS 2:16

 

Our relationship with the Lord is like any natural relationship; it begins small and must grow and develop over time. We begin our relationship with Him based on what He does for us, how He responds to our needs and desires. This is right and normal; it is just not the normal Christian life to stay there.

 

One day we wake up and find ourselves in circumstances where all our previous knowing of the Lord does not work. These circumstances can be trials, difficulties, failure – the things that break and empty us; this is the place where we experience doubt, questioning and disappointment with God. Many believers get this far with God, but then draw back from Him. That is a very critical and tragic mistake (Heb. 10:38).

 

A good example of this is the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24). What God desires to do with us when we are in this place is what He did with Cleopas and his friend; He desires to open our eyes to a deeper revelation of Himself, so we can know Him in a greater capacity (Luke 24:30). When we make it through the place of questions, disappointments, hurt feelings, resentment (and believe me, if you are committed to real relationship, God will keep bringing you back around to that place until you make it through), He then brings us to this place.

 

I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine. SOS 6:3

 

This is the place in our relationship with Him where we find Him to be someone to be desired first and foremost for who He is and then secondarily for what He does for us. It is important to note that we will always need Him to do for us. Religion will tell you to seek His face and not His hand – that is just bull. We get both His face and His hand. It is also important to note this is exactly reverse of where we begin in SOS 2:16 and sadly the believers who make the transition from SOS 2:16 to SOS 6:3 are in the minority.

 

I see many believers caught in between right now. You can’t live in between these two places very long or you will draw back and SOS 2:16 will never be sweet like it was before and as a result of this our hearts will grow luke warm toward Him.

 

Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? SOS 8:5

 

The Father’s heart is for us to come up leaning on our beloved. This is John the Apostle’s place; leaning on the breast of Jesus, hearing His heartbeat (Jn. 13:25). That is a really special place.

 

Many Blessings, BW

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