Beloved

My Dearest Love,

I watched you today, just a whisper away, as you lay on the hard ground weeping. I felt a knife cut right through my heart as I sensed your pain, fear and weariness with the burdens you bear: shame, disappointment and the dark despair of loneliness. I know sometimes it is so bad you want only to run away from the world—disappear and find a place to rest. You want to close your eyes and make all of it just fade away into the blissful surrender of sleep. I know how you feel….

So many times have I longed to scoop your battered body into my arms and hold you close as I could—to place your head against me so that the beating of my heart would drown out all the sorrow and all the pain. How I have wished to be the place where you could hide away from the cruel and cold demands of this world! I would cover you with my kisses and whisper the vow of my undying love for you.

You are mine, and nothing you could have ever done, nothing you have ever felt or said, can ever pull you away from me. You are the very passion that drives me; and it is for the love of you that I would willingly walk to hell and back just so you would know how precious you are in my eyes.

Your beauty takes my breath away; there is not one anywhere in this universe or in any other time that could ever take your place. You are rare; a precious jewel I have fashioned and created, for which I willingly lay down my life. You are always in my thoughts, and there is nothing in your mind so small that is not of greatest importance to me.

How I long for you to seek me— to run into my waiting arms and let me release once and for all the chains that bind you and keep you from feeling free! How I long for you to seek my gaze, and tell me from your heart all it is that you think and feel; all it is for which you desire, hope and dream! What is it that makes you smile? What brings you greatest joy? Ask of me, that I might grant your every need, and in myself I shall fulfill them all. I wish to bring you sweet mercy and peace; a salve to heal all the wounds you have received from those who cannot see the treasure you are.

Love me— reach for me, come to me and only me, and I will give you a love you have never known in return. It is a love without condition that burns bigger and brighter than the sun and all the stars in heaven. All the oceans of the world could not contain it; it is unbound even by the parameters of time. Seek me and I will never disappoint you. Put all your hope in my hands, and discover wonders for which you never even dared to dream! I am here, just a whisper away; call my name, and see how swiftly I will come running to your side to hold you, carry you, protect and shield you. There is nothing that could ever keep me from you; no place so dark, no enemy so strong, no storm so threatening and no sin so scarlet that I cannot defeat it all for the love of you. See, reach out and touch my hands, and my feet. Run your fingers along the scar on my side. I have taken on the powers of death, itself and won! My dearest beloved, I did all of this for you!

Come to my arms, feel my warm embrace, look into my eyes; I am your long awaited prince who wishes only to take you, my own, away to my kingdom. There, I will wipe away all of your tears, and kiss away all of your regrets until there is nothing but purest joy to fill your heart and soul. Never forget, my love, you are mine; I have written your name in the palm of my hand - you belong to me. I could never leave you, nor forsake you. I am waiting and watching you; always at your side, through every valley, across every desert and into every fire you will face. I am yours, my beloved, and you are mine; not for just a lifetime, but across the skies of all eternity…..

With all my love, I remain forever yours…

Jesus

(Written by Kristen Caraway)