The Lover

This is from a personal encounter I had with Jesus the other morning. These are the images he showed me. I believe encounters like this are meant to be shared, so I pray that as you read you also encounter the radical love of Jesus for you.

I can’t see his face yet, but my hand is in his. And it’s the best feeling in the world. He wraps his fingers tightly around my delicate ones, and he leads me into a forest. He wants me to go with him, to show me something, and all I want to do is follow. His strength and the purpose I detect in his stride compel me, make my heart lurch with anticipation. So I walk, trailing behind him, into this brilliant forest, with trees so tall I can’t see the tops.

Leaves crunch under our feet, and the sun shines through the trees, illuminating the forest like gold. Finally we reach a particular tree and we stop. He turns towards me and I see his face for the first time. He is radiant with joy, his green eyes dancing with delight. He is more beautiful than the forest we have entered, and he fills my heart with a kind of love I’ve never felt before. What does he see in me that is so lovely? I notice that our initials are carved into the tree like childhood sweethearts.

Perhaps I’ve known this man longer than I realize.

He looks tenderly into my eyes and touches the side of my face until my heart melts within its cage. He kisses me with affection, then pulls away again and gazes with longing and love, smiling. I don’t know how to react; I just want to cry. But I say nothing, just bask in this embrace of passion. He says to me, “My heart swells with love for you.” For me? I think. Then he says, as if in response, “You are worthy of my love because I have made you worthy.” My whole being expands with gratefulness. I just want to look into his face forever.

But he leads me on again, taking me by the hand. We walk through the trees, still shining brilliantly in the sunlight that is cascading down all around us. As we walk I think, this is my lover, and I want nothing but to be with him and get to know him for the rest of my days.

We come upon an unexpected chasm in the forest, so that when I look down all I see is darkness. I lean on my lover’s shoulder, wondering what he will do next. He turns to me and asks, “Do you trust me?” to which I answer “yes.” He then sweeps me up into his arms and effortlessly leaps over the massive chasm, safely transporting us both to the opposite side. He puts me down gently and says, “I would never let you fall.” And I know he won’t.

We continue to walk, my hand always in his strong grasp. He is eager to lead me forward and thankful for my trust. We come upon an ambush. Arrows soar towards us, and my lover shifts me behind him as if he is my shield and pulls out a bow of his own, beginning to slay the attackers. But then he pulls me beside him again and hands me a glowing sword.

He wants me to fight with him.

What do I have to lose? There is no fear in my heart, so together we fight against our enemies. We begin to sprint now, while our foes shoot their arrows from either side. I am holding my sword up high, and it deflects every arrow.

We make it securely through the forest, our enemies far behind us, and we are safe in an open field full of brilliantly colored flowers, sparkling with new life.

He leads me by the hand again, out into the glorious field. He turns and looks at me with his eyes full of joy, and a face that only speaks of love, then offers me both his hands. I take them willingly, as I am in love, and we begin to dance.

We just keep dancing. He lifts me in his strong arms, and I know my lover will do anything for me. He will always fight for my love.

And I know I will do anything for him.