Dec 9th

Here is Love Vast as the Ocean

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8YOPj5TnUM

Just back from a ladies weekend away with the church.   There were only a few of us there but we had a surprisingly good time.
During worship we sang this old chestnut.  And I have to admit it's one of those that has been sung to death and I was sort of just going through the motions until we got to the last line

Kissed a guilty world in love

We sang those words over and over again.  And each time we sang them I had a stronger impression of God reaching down to kiss us with such tender and understanding love even though we were guilty. I could just sense love. LOVE.  That love which sees exactly who we are and what we have done, knows what we deserve but loves us anyway.   And doesn't just love us in theory, but reaches out to kiss us.

Someone once explained that relationships have a scale of touching.   We don't touch people we don't know.  Those we might know slightly perhaps get a touch on an arm or a pat on the back.   As we know someone better we might feel able to touch their hand.   Touching someone's head is affectionate - we ruffle hair of our children as a sign of our love.   Touching someones face is reserved for those we love and with whom we are intimate.   And kissing someone on the face is the most intimate form of touching.

God kisses our guilty world.  And at Christmas time we ponder the mystery of that beautiful, tender, vulnerable expression of love for us.   A baby in a manger.  Heaven's kiss.  Jesus.

And what is our response to being kissed tenderly by a loving Father?  Is it not to kiss Him right back??

 In the Hebrew Old Testament, the primary word for worship means "to bow down in reverence and submission." And in the New Testament, the most common Greek word for worship ( proskuneo) means "to come forward to kiss."  Between those two—or combining both—lies our best approach to God.  ( Matt Redman - Soul Survivor)

Lord, 

It is good to be kissed.  By spouse or parent or child or friend.  It makes us feel loved and special and valuable.   But it is even better to be kissed by You.   Thank you for sending Jesus to make a way for us to come directly into your presence.   Thank you that You long to spend time with us, to get to know us, to touch us, reassure us, guide us and kiss us.   Thank you that You are not a God who keeps us at a distance, but You invite us to run to You, to throw ourselves upon You and to worship You with kisses.    Help us to love You as You love us.