Songs on Saturday

When one works a long full week, Saturday is always a welcome gift.  I pretty much face-planted into the weekend.  It was a long, not-bad, hard week.  I celebrated by watching two episodes of Foyle's War and popping an herbal sleep supplement before finding slumber last night.  

Not sure if it was the effect of the supplement or if I was just that tired, but I slept hard, even with Kitty's 2:30AM food demand.  I came to consciousness around 7:30, knowing I had to be on my way to an appointment by 8:30.  I stumbled out of the house by 8:27 still feeling in a fog and not fully conscious.  I brought Sasha along as I felt some guilt in neglecting her and wanted to go for a jaunt in a local trail on my way home from town.  

All in all, my first two hours of Saturday were spent doing things I normally find delight and joy yet as I stomped through the local woods, I was anything but delighted or joyed.  An all too familiar rant of complain was drizzling down through my brain.  I thankfully have come along in understanding that sometimes when we hear ourselves with a certain tone and volume, it's really because we are just in need of rest.  So, I did not take myself too seriously and drove home in need of coffee and time in His Word.

The first sips of my coffee were good, as I opened my Bible to my scheduled reading.  I saw the passages listed and loudly moaned as I realized my scheduled reading included the first few chapters of Song of Solomon, with the normal Psalms and Proverbs and New Testament portion.  

"Lord,... I really don't want to read Song of Solomon today.  Lord... ugh, I just don't know if I can handle reading about lovers and sex today."  

Sometimes, as a single, it's just a book I would like to skip.  

The Psalm was 101, ascribing God's love and justice, and a question, "oh when will you come to me?"

I read through each passage and then began combing through, focusing on God's character. 

I was still in a funk, and the passage seemed to taunt me.  But then as I looked over it, I realized the question was from God, to me.  

“Oh when will you come to me, Tammie?”

Then I saw Him, covering me with His loving gentle embrace, in the Songs passage.  His love for me is passionate, pursuing, faithful and strong.  He was inviting me to see Him, in His Love, and justice, as always, My Shepherd, and Lover of my soul, guiding me in the right path, always illuminating Himself to me.

Again, and again... grace, upon grace.

My tired soul breathed in the fresh Manna He provided.

My complaints He tenderly washed away in His Presence.

And I rejoiced.