Singing Our Love Songs to God
We are whole when we sing the song written within us to sing — our hearts poured out to you, Lord.
Make your way to a comfortable place to sit outside — or inside. Consider popping on headphones and listening to instrumental music (not music with lyrics, as this might distract, rather than enhance, your focus for this activity).
Take a deep breath. Then another. Relax your hands — maybe rotate your wrists a few times. Then maybe gently, slowly, lean back your head for a moment and close your eyes, taking a deep breath in….out…..Then raise your arms above your head and gradually stretch the muscles in your shoulders, arms, back and neck…One more deep breath in….out….
Now, take a moment and consecrate your mind, your thoughts, your expectations to God. Do it slowly, deliberately. Feel the words you are saying to him now. Slow down. Breathe. Center your attention here:
Father, I consecrate my mind to You. I give you my thoughts. I give You my expectations. I give You my ideas, my feelings about this moment, my hopes for this day. I give You my will. I give You my fears. I surrender everyone I care about to You. I surrender everything I care about to You. I love You. I love You.
Take another deep breath. Remember that he is in you now. Your God lives inside you.
Holy Spirit, direct my thoughts now; capture my heart. Help me to draw inward to engage with You, where You live, inside of me.
Next, contemplate the following passages from the Song of Songs. Let yourself linger over the verses, letting the words form pictures in your mind of each scene being described.
Yes, he loves you this much.
In addition, insert your name into these verses. Hear these words spoken from your Beloved God, your King, your Love, to you:
“Every part of you is so beautiful, my darling _______________. Perfect is your beauty, without flaw within. For you reach into my heart. With one flash of your eyes I am undone by your love, my beloved, my equal, my bride. You leave me breathless. I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshiping eyes, for you have stolen my heart. I am held hostage by your love and by the graces of righteousness shining upon you” (Song of Songs, 4:7,9, TPT).
“Arise, my ______________! Come quickly, my beloved. Come and be the graceful gazelle with me. Come be like a dancing deer with me. We will dance in the high place of the sky, yes, on the mountains of fragrant spice. Forever we shall be united as one!” (Song of Songs, 8:14).
Return to each verse, reading each line again. He is speaking these words of love to you. He has written these love songs for you.
Linger here. Drink deeply of his love for you…
After spending this time with God this morning, how was God articulating his love to you? How did it make you feel?
What would you say is your heart’s language? How do you like to articulate/communicate your love to him?
How does your body articulate God’s love?
Your mind?
How does God want to love you? How are you letting him — and not letting him? How are you receiving — or rejecting — his love?
If you’d like, listen to the song “Dizzy,” by Jon Webster, as an example of someone baring their soul to God.
Next, use your journal — or nice stationery paper and a special pen — and go to a quiet place, either outside or inside, to write a love song or poem or love letter to God. When you are finished writing it, consider reading it aloud to God and offering it to him with your whole heart. (No one else will read/hear this but God.)
As a starting place, you might want to list all the things you love about God or Jesus or Holy Spirit. What color does God make you think of? What smells? What taste? What memories?
Speak right to him. What is he to you?
You are my _________________
You are my_________________
You are my_________________
What does he make you think of?
Why do you love him?
Here are some song excerpts that might help as jumping-off places for inspiration:
End this time with worship and prayer:
Worship Music
“Beautiful Mystery,” from Chelsea Amber [Spotify | YouTube]
“Dancing on the Waves,” from Bethel Music, We the Kingdom [Spotify | YouTube]
“And We Dance,” from JUDAH. [Spotify | YouTube]
Finally, spend a couple of minutes closing your eyes and letting God speak these words to you, over and over again, as long as you need to hear them:
“I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you…..”
Because you are so dearly loved.
Amen.