He Loved First

I’m good at coming up with valid excuses. Sure, I should spend time with Jesus. I mean, yes, I love Him and want Him first in my life, BUT...you know the excuses:

“I’m busy.”
“I’m processing.”
“The kids...”
“My job ...”
“It’s a bad depression day.”
“I’ve already failed.”
“I’m tired.”
“My friend needs me.”

And so the hills grow, the obstacles that I have to overcome to find my way into the peace of His presence. Then there’s the shame—the secrets I hide, the lies I believe, the trauma I hold, the brokenness I can’t repair. It’s a wall that I don’t even know how to chip away at. Occasionally, there’s a window of hope through the wall, but most days I spend locked behind the wall of shame, wishing I could be fully known and loved.

So I hit snooze. I get busy in my day. I take care of everyone else. I numb in my spare time. I hear the invitation to come away, but there are just too many obstacles—mountains of excuses, hills of valid reasons, walls of shame. I wish I could overcome them, but I can’t. I can’t get to Him.

But here’s the deepest truth that my soul so often forgets:

It doesn’t start with me. He comes for me first.

“The voice of my beloved! Behold, He comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills. My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, there He stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice. My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away,”
— Song of Songs 2:8-10

He overcomes the obstacles. What love! While we are still lost in our brokenness, Jesus first loved us—leaping over our mountains of excuses, bounding over our hills of valid reasons, gazing at us with hope through the window, standing behind the wall, waiting for our “yes.” He overcame so we might have relationship with Him. He tore the veil of separation, the wall of shame, and now He invites us into beautiful places. He knows life past the wall, over the mountains, beyond the hills and He wants us to come away with Him to rest in His love.

The love of God comes for us first.

First He rose from His seat in heaven, clothed himself in humanity, took on the burden of sin, overcame the obstacles, and made a way for us to draw close. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. He has overcome it all. So when He says, “Arise and come away,” Dear One, He has already made a way. His grace will carry you over the mountains. His mercy will help you past the hills. His strength will tear down the walls, and it is His love that will compel you to believe and say “yes.”

So Darling, arise and come away.

- Eden Kroeger, Worship Lead

About Eden

Eden wants to see heaven on earth and lives transformed by His goodness and love. She has spent the last 10 years serving as the founder and ministry director for Stello Ministries. She is currently serving as the Worship Lead at ARISE.