This is the final part of a message from Francis Frangipane. During the last two weeks, we looked at how true Seeking of Jesus is born out of love and how true love will find Jesus. This week we will look at how passion moves God on our behalf.
You Will Find Him
“Scarcely had I left them when I found him whom my soul loves.” This is the greatest motivation for seeking the Lord: the time will come when you find Him! You will pass your tests and overcome the obstacles; you will be secure in the embrace of Christ.
She says, “…I held on to him and would not let him go.” I am reminded of Mary at the empty tomb of Christ. The apostles came, looked in the cave and went away astounded. But Mary came to the tomb and she lingered, weeping. The death of Christ was horrible, but the empty tomb was unbearable. She had to find Him whom her soul loved!
[To Mary] the death of Christ was horrible, but the empty tomb was unbearable. She had to find Him whom her soul loved!
The Scripture says that Jesus Himself came to her, but in her sorrow, she did not recognize Him. He said, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Can we see the connection here between Mary’s weeping and her seeking Christ? Blinded by her tears, she supposes He is the gardener. “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
Mary Clung To Jesus
“Jesus said to her, `Mary!’ She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, `Rabboni,’ (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, `Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father…'” (John 20:15-17).
The instant Mary sees the Lord she clings to Him. And here is the most astounding event, indeed, the marvel of all marvels: Jesus said, “I have not yet ascended…” Christ interrupted His ascent into Heaven to answer this woman’s love! In the very process of His resurrection, He is drawn—No! compelled toward her weeping! Jesus demonstrated that love is the highest, most powerful law of His kingdom!
Christ interrupted His ascent into Heaven to answer this woman’s love!
When you expend your energies, your nights, your heart; when you overcome your fears out of love for Jesus, you will find Him and “never let him go.” Mary found Him whom her soul loved. She continued in her pursuit, remaining in sorrow until she found Him. The apostles had gone home. To whom did Jesus appear first? He came to the one who had the highest passion for Him. And she is clinging to Him.
[Jesus first] came to the one who had the highest passion for Him.
Bringing Jesus to Our Mother’s House
“I found him whom my soul loves; I held on to him and would not let him go, until I had brought him to my mother’s house, and into the room of her who conceived me.”
You have laid hold of Jesus; you have found fulfillment. Yet, has this seeking of God been only for you? No. For the bride brings Him to the house of her mother, which is the church. She brings Him back to the needy and hurting, to her brothers and her sisters.
We all want the Lord, but only the bride will go so far as to find Him and bring Him back to the house. I want to charge you to find Jesus. Do not merely talk about how dead your life or church is, find Him! Pass through your fears. Overcome your passivity and lay hold of Him. The church, even our cities, need people who are anointed with the Presence of Jesus!
We all want the Lord, but only the bride will go so far as to find Him and bring Him back to the house.
You Have Made His Heart Beat Faster
Where was Jesus throughout the time of the bride searching? Was He aloof, indifferent, sitting in Heaven? From the beginning, He had been watching, actually longing for His bride to find Him. He now speaks, “You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride; you have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes” (Song of Solomon 4:9).
Listen to me: You are His bride. He is returning from heaven for you! The single glance of your eyes toward Him makes His heart beat faster. Such love is inconceivable. He sees your repentance as your preparation for Him; His bride making herself ready. He beholds you kneeling, weeping at your bedside. He shares your painful longing. He has been watching. And he says, “The glance of your eyes has made my heart beat faster….”
A Fresh, Overwhelming Baptism of Love
The Lord has a promise for His bride. He said there would be a fresh and overwhelming baptism of love that would surpass all our knowledge of Him. We would know the height and depth, the width and the breadth of His love. While yet here on earth, we will be filled with His fullness.
We have many tasks, even responsibilities, which have come from heaven. However, the need of our soul is to be with Jesus. The areas of sin in our lives exist simply because we have lived too far from Him. Let us commit our hearts to seeking our God. Let us find Him whom our soul loves and bring Him back to the House of the Lord!
We have many tasks, even responsibilities, which have come from heaven. However, the need of our soul is to be with Jesus.
“[That you may really come] to know—practically, through experience for yourselves—the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God—[that is] may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself!” (Ephesians 3:19)
Let’s pray: Lord, even now we lift our eyes toward You. Jesus, grace and truth are realized in You. Grant us grace that the truth of this message will change our lives and compel us in unrelenting love for You!
Hello Kevin,
Thank you for this post. The story of Jesus appearing to Mary is one of my most favorite places in Scripture. I love it that He appeared to her first. One question I do have, though. When she clings to Him, He tells her to let go. Why? I don’t really understand how that is His way of interrupting His ascension to answer her love. Could you explain more about that to me?
This is an area of my walk with Jesus that I am always confused about. I want to be close to Him and really bond to Him, and people, like you and others, encourage me in that direction. But then, when I read about Jesus in the New Testament, and hear sermons and other’s comments, I get discouraged, because I learn that our relationship with Jesus should be more formal and very reverent, not like “buddy buddy”. I do know that because He is so above us, we can’t have that “buddy buddy” relationship with Him, but yet, I want to bond with Him, which kind of requires a more relaxed and light-hearted relationship, where I would be sitting in His lap with His arms holding me tightly as we sing songs together and laugh. Is what I just described inappropriate for me to be longing for with Him? Even in the Bible, Jesus doesn’t seem to be that way with people. In many ways, He seems quite intimidating, where I would feel really tense and self-conscious around Him. Yet, I know that the Bible isn’t written like a novel where the character’s emotions and mannerisms are described, so He could have given loving looks to people with twinkling eyes. No one knows. I just want to know what is really appropriate for me to be wanting. I don’t want Him to be displeased or irritated with me. Will you explain to me?
Thank you.
Rachel
Jesus said to not prevent the children from coming to Him. In this statement, we understand that children wanted to come to Him. If He was this reverent, intimidating guy, then the children would not want to come at all. No one would need to keep the children away, because Jesus would have been doing that Himself.
People wanted to be with Jesus because He was like you are desiring Him to be. Children wanted to be around Him. Prostitutes and other “sinners” liked having Him around. John felt free to recline up on Jesus.
I don’t fully know why Mary could not have clung to Him longer. But, Jesus does ask her to go tell the others. Jesus wants us to love one another – His other children. We share in the joy of God when we tell others of His great love for them, as well as for us.
I hope this helps. You don’t have a desire to be with Jesus that is greater than His desire to be with you. I hope you find comfort in that.
I love your questions. Thanks for asking.
Kevin
Rachael, He’s not irritated with you. You have to bear in mind that the Gospel writers were primarily concerned with recording and preserving the facts. But bear in mind that Jesus spoke to women and allowed them to touch Him publicly (all big no-nos for a 1st century Jewish man), as well as teaching them, which was unheard of for a Rabbi to do, since it was a society that barely even viewed women as human. His compassion even extended toward non-Jewish women, such as the women at the well. He didn’t care what society thought; He just gave His love freely to those who needed it. Not exactly the actions of a stern, standoffish Messiah.
Remember that all things were created by Him and for Him (Col 1:16). The reason you desire closeness with Him is because He placed that need in your heart…sort of like a homing device so that you would seek Him out and come to Him.
Don’t take my word for it, though – ask Him to reveal His heart to you, ask Him for reassurance of His love. He loves answering these requests 🙂
God bless