The Dove part 1
I've Ranted on some of this stuff before, I feel like, here and there. But I want to kind of dig into it. Because the dove is a very important picture in the Bible. And I guess we should just start kind of right where I left off in the last Rant series: "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22). So to me, any time we see the dove in Scripture its speaking of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit. The Spirit of truth that leads and guides us into all truth. The ultimate truth of the universe that God is love and He loves you. And that's what the voice from heaven said, "You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." I love you. I'm happy with you. Not because of what you do, but because of who you are. I always quote that old country song that says, "Daddies don't just love their children every now and then... its a love without end. Amen." One time Logan asked me, "Daddy, why do you love me so much." And without even thinking, without even hesitating I said, "Because you're mine." That's it. Done deal. I love him because he's mine. God loves us... because He is our heavenly Father. Because we are His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. That's what the dove is about. And I think maybe tomorrow we're going to tie this appearance of the dove in with the one that Noah let go from the ark. But like I said, I want to kind of slow down and dig into it. And today I'm just trying to really hit home the fact that the dove is the Holy Spirit. Because that way, when we get to Song of Solomon and the doves' eyes... we'll know what we're talking about. Look at Psalm 55:6, "And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest." Flying away--to me--is the same thing as rising above. Its not about GETTING away. Its about being able to get through what you have to go through. Its about not being dragged down. And, like I always say, when God (when LOVE) is holding you up... nothing can drag you down. One of my favorite memory verses that I never hear preached, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 1:24). All we ever seem to hear about is what to do after we fall. Like falling is a foregone conclusion. "I'm only human." As if that justifies us to be less than we're capable of being. And, listen, the just man falls seven times and rises every time. I'm not saying you shouldn't rise up if you do fall. I'm saying, you don't HAVE to fall. You can let Jesus keep you from falling. You can stand firm on the Rock and you don't have to be shaken. The wings of a dove can stabilize you. Keep you afloat. Because that's when (where) the truth is. Its in the dove. The Holy Spirit. Its in YOU. You fly away (rise above) and rest. Rest is so important. Because rest is not inactivity. Rest is Holy Spirit directed activity. When the dove flies, love reigns! The Holy Spirit directs you to love... by revealing the truth that you are loved. That you are love!