The joy set before us

It is finished. The last sentence has been read and the final page has been turned. Why is it that we sometimes feel a little lost after pouring over the last words of a much loved book? Especially, one of life-changing content.

Today, within the walls of my darling Sable D'or cafe, I finished the book, the Sacred Romance. It happened so deceivingly due to the large amount of 'nothing pages' at the back consisting of promotional material for other books and a bibliography that owns all others - I thought I had atleast another few days of reading pleasure.

But it is not really over.

Now that I have absorbed and allowed my heart to breathe in the sweetness of beautiful revelation I am determine for the veil to remain lifted and do promise to never forget.

I love how God truly knows us more then we even know ourselves. He knows that after our hearts acknowledge a desire to change or acknowledge the longing to give ourselves even more over to Him, we can simply forget what we have learnt. This scripture is for those too sway-minded like myself.

''Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart'' - Deuteronomy 4:9.

So brilliant.

Even the poetic George MacDonald of the year 1880 was fully aware how fleetingly we can separate ourselves from the revelation of the all the joy set before us, as expressed in his Diary of An Old Soul.

In an act of boldness and utter desperation to retain the passion he has for the future and the journey ahead, he confidently cries out to God.

''Were there but some deep, holy spell, whereby

Always  I should remember thee...

Lord, see thou to it, take thou remembrance's load:

Only when I bethink me can I cry;

Remember thou, and prick with love's goad.

When I can no more stir my soul to move,

And life is but the ashes of a fire;

When I can but remember that my heart

Once used to live and love, long and aspire - 

Oh, be thou then the first, the one thou art;

Be thou the calling, before all answering love,

And in me wake, fear, boundless desire''

Like what John Eldridge says in the Sacred Romance that the final burden of remembering all the glimpses of God's beauty, His love for us and the joy set before us, does not rest on us.

Jesus is the 'Author and Perfector of our faith' (Hebrews 12:2).

He placed the desires for romance in our hearts, and compelled us to take this journey and even when we take a side road for the short or long seasons,  he has bound himself to see us through.
He even gives us reminders along the journey's way through ''unwrapped gifts and free surprises'' (Anne Dillard) whether they be in the form of a touching song, a beautiful art work, or the re-acquaintance with a smell that evokes a loving childhood moment.

As I continue to journey, I am sure to share my 'gifts' given to me along the way.