His Presence is Messy

   

     When my Father-in-law talks about getting in the Presence of God he often uses the analogy of jumping into a swimming pool.  Some people like to tip toe down the steps and ease their way into the water and a lot of times try very hard not to get their "hair" wet.  But oh it's so much more fun and not as cold if you just run and jump in the deep!   Jumping in makes a big splash sometimes, its usually not very pretty, and most often makes a mess and water gets all over the place.  

    

This is worship... this is His Presence... it gets messy and sometimes it can get uncomfortable!

     Song of Songs is one of the most controversial books of the Bible.  It's extremely intimate and can be uncomfortable to read but at the same time it is so beautiful.  It's the love between a man and his bride, Christ and the Church.  It was so provocative that the Jewish men were not allowed to read it until they were 30!  The "church" I think was afraid of what was inside it of what was behind the words.   

Song of Songs 4:9Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

The word Ravished is a very interesting word.  It's definition is two fold the first definition is to seize and take away by violence; the second definition is to overcome with emotion (as joy or delight).  In Song of Songs I believe the word ravished holds both definitions another translation says that She has Stolen his heart implying that it was indeed taken by force but at the same time He is so overwhelmed by emotions and is delighted by her Presence.     

I WANT to be ravished by God's Presence! The difference is the Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He will NEVER force anything on you, but He so desires for us to want and long to be in his Presence.

Exodus 34:14For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Isaiah after being in the Presence of the Lord and actually looking at the Lord with his own eyes said that he was Undone!  Only the pure of heart are supposed to see God, right? But in that time that he spent with the Lord he was made clean. They touched His lips with the coal to cleanse Him.

Isaiah 6:5 KJV So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts."

New Century Version

I said, "Oh, no! I will be destroyed. I am not pure, and I live among people who are not pure, but I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful."

     To be Undone is to be ruined, destroyed or unfastened.  

    In Worship we need to get to the place where we are UNDONE.... our flesh must die and we need to allow our spirit to worship the LORD!  

     
     Romans 8:13For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 

     Only in the LORD's presence are we made whole!  It's kind of like surgery.  It's messy right?  The Dr cuts you up and all the blood and guts and gore are visible.  Everything is laid out on the table.  It's an intimate setting.  Its RAW, smelly, and Ugly you are literally UNDONE but it's something that is necessary to get the job done!

     Why are we so afraid to get messy?  Why are we so afraid to get into that place and have a LOVE affair with our Savior? Why are we so afraid to be in the place where we don't have all of the control and we don't have any idea what is going to happen.  It's the most perfect and beautiful place to be: TO BE Drenched in the Fragrance of His Presence!    I don't want my "Hair" to be "Perfect", I want it to be messy drenched and soaking wet from that special and intimate time with my FIRST love!