Intimacy with GOD by Esher Shoshannah (the unexpected everything txt) 📖

frustration, she said cutting things to them in return. Then she would bury these unkind words in her heart and they seemed to "go away"! Sometime she is going to have to deal with these hurts when she has grown in her surrender. The Holy Spirit will choose the perfect time. Later you will see how this happens.

 When your heart is totally surrendered to the Lord you will want to get involved in various kinds of “good” activities. Be careful that you do not get involved in that which was not intended for you. When asked by others in the church to volunteer you may be the first to do so. You may feel spiritually obligated to do anything and everything.

The enemy loves to get us so busy in legitimate projects that we find no time for the inner chamber; no time for intimate fellowship with the Bridegroom of your heart. He particularly likes to do this to new believers. After a while you grow tired and weary, wondering what happened to the joy you experienced before!

Don't be afraid to give up some of those duties in order to get back to the chamber. Some will show their disappointment and criticize you as being unspiritual, when, in reality you want to do only that which your Beloved intended for you. Remember, God was not in a hurry to put Moses, Elijah and Paul into the work He had planned for them. The Lord knew they needed time with Him before they were thrust into their life's work. Be patient!

May I lovingly counsel you again? Be careful about becoming involved in so many activities ("vineyards") so that the vineyard of your heart cannot be cultivated by the Holy Spirit. Don't be a Martha, but a Mary (Luke 10:38-42; John 12:1-5; Mark 14:3-9). You need quiet, meditative time alone with your Beloved. Don't fill your time up with so many religious activities and miss giving Him your adoring heart for which He so yearns! Give your Beloved what He desires most - "first love" love (Rev. 2:1-5)! Don’t ever forget, you are His portion of joy. Deut. 32:9 declares it!

Now for the question, will she ever be able to truly minister in the vineyard her Lord had chosen for her? Before there would be a vineyard to harvest, the garden of her heart would need to be developed. Preparations for her to actually be allowed to minister in her vineyard have begun with this initial surrender. However, not until chapter 8 will the Holy Spirit answer that question.

 

V.7 "Tell me, O thou whom my soul loves, where thou feedeth, where thou makes thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turns aside by the flocks of thy companions?"

After recognizing that she is an undeserving foreigner; after receiving demeaning stares from others; after the hurt of misunderstanding inflicted upon her by her own family; after realizing the emptiness of busyness; will she give up in utter despair? With such an onslaught of discouragement will she cease in her quest for an intimate relationship with her Beloved?

No, praise God! This truly surrendered bride runs to her Beloved. Hesitating before approaching Him, she ponders, "Is He deeply disappointed since He allowed me to have intimate fellowship with Him, then I got focused off into many other things and had little time for Him?" The bride sets these nagging doubts aside. She thinks within herself, “He alone knows my hurt; my frustration; my weariness; the longing of my heart to have time with Him."

"O how I love Him only, He will lead me to where I can be fed. He knows exactly what I need! I just want to be with those who thirst for what I desire - listening to the voice of His Word feeding my soul. O how blessed they must be in His gentle Shepherd's care!" With these burdens upon her heart she sees Him and then with a longing tone inquires:

 

"Tell me, O Thou whom my soul loves, where thou feedest, where thou makes thy flock to rest at noon?"

Why don't you ask Your Beloved the same question as the bride did in this verse? The Holy Spirit will then lead you to a place of quiet rest with your Beloved. Before you will be set everything you need - His wisdom, discernment, love, faith, intimacy, immutable promises and so much more. He will lead you into joyful fellowship with other sheep who dearly love Him as you do. Your Beloved will ask you to sit next to Him and He will personally feed you and give you His rest. Her stress concerning the vineyard problem will be answered in Phil. 4:6,7; John 14:27 and Matt. 11:28.

 

"...at noon..."

This is symbolical of the hottest part of the day. Satan will try to burn you out and dry you up spiritually. Only your dear Bridegroom is able to protect you from the attacks of the enemy. He alone has the right to decide what is needed for your healing and recovery. Be careful about deciding for yourself how to find rest for your soul (hobbies, TV, worldly activities, movies). Go to Him first!

Listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit from the Word and then you will say, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psa. 23:2,3). You will receive what you thought impossible: a refreshing renewal flowing down over your tired soul.

 

"...For why should I be as one that turns aside as one who is veiled by the flocks of thy companions?"

She desires "rest" above everything else. Now that she has given herself over completely to Him, the Holy Spirit leads this Bride into what is truly important. Too many in God’s family keep so busy they miss Him! Her soul longs for that "rest" which can only come from Him alone. Apparently the enemy is attempting to focus her attention off of Jesus onto His people. He would have you look at the "flocks" and not the Shepherd! The "flocks of thy companions" are separate ministries of those who are actively serving Him in their God-given ministry. What a trick of the enemy, to rob her of peace and rest and rob Jesus of her intimate love. Catch this truth and the danger of this "turning aside" in John 21:19-22. Peter, after being restored by the Lord, was simply told by Him to "follow Me"! In v. 20 it says, "Peter, turning around...." Immediately after following Jesus he began to wonder about John. The Lord basically said, "that’s none of your business Peter, you follow Me. I’ll take care of John, you take care of simply following Me." She immediately recognizes what is happening and so asked the very pointed question in the above verse.

 

PRAY WITH ME: "Dear Bridegroom of my heart, may I never make You ashamed of me. May You never find me in the arms of another seeking momentary pleasures which will never satisfy. Keep me from wandering. I submit my mind, heart and body to You, dear Lord. I will not turn aside to find rest in any other place. I have tried all of that emptiness. I want You alone! 'Order my steps in Thy Word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.' (Psa. 119:133). In Jesus' blessed name!"

 

The Beloved responds: 

V.8 "If thou know not, O thou fairest (most beautiful) among women...."

With joy He immediately answers the longing of her heart. He is not bothered at all that she "knows not". She "knows not" and runs immediately to Him who absolutely knows! With His eyes focused on her, He tenderly and lovingly declares to her heart, "to Me you are the most beautiful among all others. Why? Because you will not allow anything to distract you from Me!" This is said to you, dear reader! Is it hard to accept? Yes! But do it! See yourself as He sees you. You are most beautiful in your Bridegroom's eyes because of the fervor of your desire towards Him. It’s the Mary of Bethany heart He sees in you. Can you imagine what it does to His heart seeing your love-filled eyes? Be assured He will direct you to the food of "rest"! He must. It is His will (I John 5:14,15). Praise God! Hallelujah!

 

PRAY WITH ME: "Dear, dear Beloved Lord Jesus, my heart is overwhelmed by such thoughts. I overflow with joy and adoration for You. Cause me to see more and more of what You see in me. Cause me to grow in my surrender to You. Take out all things that do not please You. I love You too much to have anything knowingly come between us and disappoint Your heart! Thank You Father for having set me in Your plan for my life. (Psa. 139:16; Isa. 46:11). Consider O my soul the Beloved's Word, 'For I know the thoughts (plans) that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts (plans) of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.' (Jer. 29:11). May I walk in it by the power of the Holy Spirit alone. In Jesus' name, amen."

 

"...go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids (young goats) besides the shepherd's tents."

He now answers her. She wants the younger ones to know what she knows. Why should they have to wait as she did? She had been kept busy in church programs and missed the filling. She had never been taught about it until a stranger, Marybeth, was sent to their Bible study. She is not going to let that happen to those young ones who love her. "Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock" those who follow in surrender to the Lord (John 10:27). They are the ones who stick close to THE SHEPHERD’S TENT! Lead them to the Mary’s of Bethany! You’ll find them always waiting patiently at His tent. There you will find rest. They are those who consistently have the fruit of the Spirit in their daily walk. Fellowship with them and follow their footsteps.

Learn His secrets from them. He will share Himself with you through them. (Eph. 3:14-19; 4:15-16). "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end (result) of their conversation (behavior)." (Heb.13:7). Feed "the kids" by your example through a life of surrender. Take them under your wing and watch-care. The Holy Spirit will cause them to desire what you have - that glow and joy of love for Him whom your soul loves.

The early church knew where the power came from (Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4, 42,46; I Cor. 10:16,17; Heb. 10:25; Luke 14:33). O what unspeakable joy when Spirit filled (truly surrendered believers) meet to love, worship and exalt the Lord! These "kids" will be fed in their spirit by observing the Lord flowing all through their mentors’ manner of living.

The young need to see how important real, true spiritual fellowship is to the life of the believer. It’s not just talking about everyday things such as: clothes, sports etc., and that’s ok, but that is believers having fellowship. Spirit-filled fellowship is when Jesus is the center, focus and purpose of the gathering together.

Yes, Jesus is always with us but His very special presence comes when two or three are gathered together in His name (Mt. 18:20). When the "kids" see a deep exchange of "first love" love between you and Your Bridegroom then they will rise to a level of fullness which was previously beyond their comprehension! It is not enough to have the "kids" memorize scripture. They must see the image of a living Jesus in us, then their lives will be transformed