Lay Down Lover

Everyday after lunch the kids have quiet time/nap time. I wish I could say this time came around everyday with ease, but that is never the case. Instead I find myself constantly having to go into the girls room and telling them to take a nap, then walk over to Brandon's room and tell him to stop hitting the wall so the girls can sleep. It's a process that always takes at least an hour, maybe two. Eventually though, after tears, complaints, and fear of not getting a snack, they finally do what they are suppose to and I have an hour or so to myself again.

I would be lying if I told you I didn't enjoy this time.

And no, it's not because it's an hour of uninterrupted quality time with Pinterest.

[Although, that's always a fun time too!]

It's because God has a way of showing me something in the sweetest of ways.

I get excited because I can't wait to see what He has for me that day!

Last week, I decided to go on Youtube and look up Bethel. I didn't have a specific song I wanted to listen to or anything. I just wanted worship music. Steffany Frizzell has to be one of my favorites. So when I saw one that was her singing 'The More I Seek You + Spontaneous Worship' to say I was excited is an understatement. It was 19 minutes long and it was absolutely beautiful. I remember the presence of God just falling over me while I sat on the couch listening. It was such a sweet moment of intimacy with the Lord that brought me to tears. I just sat there in awe at the love of God.

His love really is so amazing.

At one point in the song, when she goes into spontaneous worship, she begins to sing that God can love us more in one moment than any other lover could in an entire lifetime! Wow! That's all I can really say about that. One moment. Every moment. He loves us like that in every moment we have.

I still find myself thinking on this and just thanking God for loving me this way.

Then she sings something else, something that I have not been able to stop thinking about.

Being a lay down lover.

"We're gonna go where no one has gone before,

 We're gonna do what no one has done before,

We will be your lay down lovers, We will be your lay down lovers"

What does that even mean?

After listening to it day after day I wondered if it was simply a cry to Jesus telling him that we would be a people that weren't afraid to go to the ends of the earth and be His hands and feet. That we would go wherever He called us to go and we would do whatever He called us to do.

And yes, that is important and I know that God desires for us to have a heart that is obedient and submissive to do His Will.

But, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I really felt that there was so much more to this that I wasn't seeing. That being a lay down lover was so much more than that. God has so many sides of His character. New things that He shows me about Himself and I knew that there was something else to be learned from this. Something else I needed to see.

 Have you ever seen that commercial advertising a car and there tagline is that "and is better than or." The point was that "and" was always more appealing. Like having a police officer who "protects and serves" is much better than one who "protects or serves." 

That was the missing puzzle piece! I finally understood! I kept thinking about it as "and." That I would go where God called me, do what He called me to do, and be His lay down lover. I never once thought that being His lay down lover was me going where no one else went and doing what no one else did. God is calling for a generation of believers who love Him with a pure and intimate love. Who lay down their lives in complete submission to Him to do His Will simply because they love Him. I believe that being a lay down lover is so out of our character. Our flesh doesn't want to lay down our desires. Our flesh cannot even love that way.It's so unlike who we are. That's what makes it so very beautiful. When you die to your flesh and lay down your life to your Heavenly Father.

 It's also why it's so rare. Why doing that is doing what no one else does.

 It's not easy. It's very hard. But oh, it is so worth it.

[John 15:9-17 NKJV]

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My Love.

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

You are My friends if you do whatever I command you,

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another."

He has chosen you, appointed you. He has promised you fruit that will remain.

Abide in Him, abide in His love.

Become the lay down lover He is seeking.