Love Letter: The Ultimate Broken Heart

“I wouldn’t feel for you if Jesus, himself, came down and pleaded your case!!!”

     If we were to translate God’s words into today’s language, it might look something like that statement. In Jeremiah chapter 15 and verse 1 God is speaking thru the prophet to the people of Israel and He says, “… Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!” These are really harsh words and they only get worse. God says, in verse 2, “And if they ask you, ‘where shall we go?’ tell them… ‘Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.'” If you couldn’t already tell God is angry with HIS people; the people who He’d called as His chosen.  Now, I know some of us have gotten angry at some folks and in our own private “me-myself-and-I” conversations we talked about cutting them off, “cuz’ they ain’t gon’ just treat me any kind of way…” and we rant on and on and on and on; but THIS is what a REAL cut-off looks like! If you’re like me, you are wondering how this great and awesome and loving and gracious God that we serve (and He is indeed all of these things; my life is proof) could come to this place; and the answer to that question may be simpler than we think. Think back to those moments when you were fed up and ready to cut some people off. What normally preceded that rant and the subsequent pruning from our lives? Answer: I’m willing to bet that it was a person who was dear to you and they betrayed you or took you for granted or willfully hurt you one time too many and because you were tired of being HURT you decided it was time for them to go.

Well, newsflash: We are created in the image and likeness of God. So, just like we feel, HE feels. The truth is God had given His people everything they needed and even some of the things they wanted and no matter how God provided for them Israel’s record of reciprocation was sketchy at best; sometimes they did but most times they didn’t. God had shown Himself in mighty and undeniably sovereign and miraculous ways but yet, these people whom He loved SO deeply and that He had, indeed, made covenant with Abraham for continuously rejected Him. They wanted His stuff– what He could do– but didn’t want Him. The result was that God was broken-hearted and fed up. But, that’s the easy part; because, after I read this verse I felt this unmistakable sinking feeling………………

God, is that how I made you feel?

A haunting but valid question. I was immediately compelled to open my prayer journal and write a heart-felt love letter to God to let Him know that I am so sorry for the way that I treated Him. When I was living my life for myself I was not concerned about God nor was I concerned about what my rebellion was doing to Him. I never even considered that He felt anything other than disappointment toward me. But, all this time my perception was incorrect. It wasn’t disappointment, it was HURT… PAIN. I was causing Him PAIN! I thought I was risking nothing but my own life and happiness by living that way; and that’s the worst part. I wasn’t even happy! I wasn’t happy with the way that I was living because I KNEW I was disappointing God. I knew that God had so much more in store for me and I was disappointing Him. But, I never understood that disappointment wasn’t all that God was feeling it was heart-break. God loves me so much and all He’s ever done is express His love; sometimes it was tough love but love nonetheless. But, because He didn’t operate like a genie and give me what I wanted when I wanted it, I mistook His love for unfairness. I mistook His love for hatred! There are few things I dislike more than being misunderstood, particularly when my intentions and motives are selfless and based in love or care for someone else.  So, I can only imagine how I made my Father feel. He has given me ALL that I need and even in those difficult times I had ALL I needed, I just didn’t recognize it. I had confused my wants as needs and took it out on God. Y’all, it broke my heart to think of how I had broken my Father’s heart; but it made me so grateful that Jesus came and died on my behalf. Because, I know that all of those times when I was not concerned about living for God, God rightfully SHOULD have said to me exactly what He said to Israel, “You’re destined for death, so go to death, because that’s all that you deserve.” But, because Jesus was and is at the right hand of my Father interceding for me, I have another chance and I am determined to live my life in a way that honors God, that pleases God, that makes Him smile. I want to bring a smile to His face for every time I grieved His heart and then some!

I encourage you to look back over your life, not with a harsh and criticizing eye; but with new perspective. I encourage you to look back at all the times God could have told you to, “Go to death because that’s all that you deserve,” and begin to bless God for His son, Jesus Christ! Think of those times when God could have said that not even Moses and Samuel could make me care what happens to you; and then remember that because JESUS is now at the right hand of the Father interceding; we have hope and an eternal future.

I challenge you to just write a love letter to God. Say whatever is in your heart to say; but I DARE you to just pour out your love and gratefulness in a love letter and rejoice in knowing that you’ve put a SMILE on our Father’s face!

Bless God & God Bless

THE Writer’s Pen, Angel

a.k.a. Angelique

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