Drawn
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
This is such a pretty, quotable scripture. It’s the kind you want to get a tattoo of or put on your wall or use as song lyrics.
Can we look into the depth of it? The word “drawn” here is the Hebrew word “Masak”, which actually means “to draw out”. Have you ever asked, where is he drawing me out from?
This is the core of what we believe: that when Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant it. I have no reason to cover myself up, or to hide away in shame. I am a child of God. In God’s eyes I am flawless; because He sees the finished product that I’m becoming even though I’m not there yet. He loves me fully and without any hesitation. Deep down I know these things. But in my changing state I’m still afraid sometimes. I forget. Fear has me crawling back into my cell afraid of the King, as if He would cast me out of the garden.
His love amazes me. Here’s why.
God’s kindness draws me out. It draws me to Him.He doesn’t stand at the door and say, “are you freaking kidding me? I just went through all that so you could be free and you go right back in? What’s WRONG with you?”
He stands at my hiding place and calls in, “you know you’re free, don’t you? Look at your hands. They aren’t bound. You’re so wonderful. Won’t you come out? I love you. You are so funny. You’re my happy girl, my lovely friend. Come and walk with me. Come and sing with me. Let’s get out of here.”
He loves me so much. When I fail to recall it, His loving-kindness draws me out of the darkness. When I feel ashamed, He lures me out with grace. When I feel afraid He calls me out into the battle with truth. When I feel defeated, He kindly reminds me that I am not and never will be.
And even more than that, this love He has for me is everlasting. It won’t ever end. No matter how often I hide, He always draws me out. He always comes for me, knocking at the door, asking to come in and sit with me. Then He takes my hand and lifts me up off of the floor and walks me out into freedom. Though He saw all my failures and all the times I’d choose something else over Him, He chose the cross. He was thinking of me. I was the joy set before Him that enabled Him to endure that death. So were you.
He loves us. If there is one thing in life I can say without a shadow of doubt, it’s that.