This story I’m about to share with you was written by me some years back. It was at a time when seemingly all was going just great, or so it seemed, but on the inside, I was living a much different story. The inner story was one of hopelessness, where I truly believed I was no good to anyone. One day while I was praying about this, I felt the Lord give me this story, and thus started the long path of healing leading from “hopelessness to His hopeful 1”
“Rise up my love, my fair one, And come away” Song of Solomon 2:10
As she awoke, her heart was filled with wonder as she heard the voice of her beloved singing. “Arise, my love, arise my fair one and come away with me. Arise my love.” She arose and cried out. “Yes my Beloved, I will come to You; for You are my desire ~ My Salvation ~ My Love.” Hopelessness rose to her feet and ran out to the garden still dressed in her night garments. As she ran past the Gates of Praise, she fell to her knees and sang the song of her Lover, “I am my Beloved’s, His desire is for me ~ I will sing the songs of His love, for His love is for me.” To her delight, she heard the voice of her Lover singing softly before her. “Arise, my love, my sweet love, come to me for my desire is for you.”
Her Lover stretched out His hands to her and raised her to her feet. In His strong arms, He embraced Hopelessness and consumed her in His passion. With His hands, he raised her face and gently kissed her. His eyes blazed with passion as He gazed upon the one that held His desire. With a firm but gentle voice, He spoke. “My love, my fair one~do you love Me?” Hopelessness buried her face in His bosom and in a voice barely above a whisper, she spoke. “Only You know my heart, for You have healed and filled my heart with Your love.” Then she trembled with delight as she gazed into His eyes and answered with unspeakable joy. “Yes ~ I do love You.” Barely able to contain His joy, He took the hand of Hopelessness and cried out. “My love ~ come away with Me for I have prepared a place for our marriage celebration. Do not go back to your cottage to exchange your night garments, for I have for you here the garments of praise.”
Together they danced through the fields towards His garden. As they approached, Hopelessness stood alarmed. The entrance to the garden was blocked by three trees. As Hopelessness looked upon the trees, she saw that the two trees on both sides of the entranceway to the garden were dead and very ugly. But as she looked at the tree in the center, she gasped in horror, for blood was flowing from that tree. She turned away and looked towards her Lover and said, “We cannot enter Your garden by this way. For to enter by this way can only mean death.” He gazed deeply into the eyes of Hopelessness, and with deep compassion, He spoke. “My love ~ there is no other way into My garden but by my tree of blood. You are right when you say to enter by this way means death.” Then He took the hands of Hopelessness and spoke to her saying. “Do not fear, for this death is necessary but is not forever. If you follow Me into My garden then our love shall be complete.” Then with a love in His eyes that burned brighter than she had ever seen before, He asked her again. “Do you love Me?” Hopelessness fell at His feet. Barely able to speak, she whispered. “You alone know my heart, for my heart belongs to You.” As her tears washed His feet, her voice trembled as she spoke. “Yes, I do love You, for You are my Love. Take me into Your garden. I will follow you where ever You go.” He raised hopelessness to her feet. With his hands, He lifted her face and gently kissed her. Then with His strong arms, He picked her up and carried her towards the tree of blood. Hopelessness looked into the eyes of her Lover and whispered, “I am my Beloved’s and He is mine.” Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
The sounds from the river of living waters awoke her. At first, she didn’t know where she was as she lay upon the cold rock floor, but then she remembered her Beloved and began to yearn for Him. She looked towards the river of living waters and saw a deer drinking deeply from it. She too was thirsty and needed to go to the river and drink as the deer did. As she approached the water, she saw her reflection and saw that she was no longer dressed in the garments of praise, but instead, she was dressed in a spotless, pure white wedding gown. Then to her sheer delight, she heard the voice of her Beloved as He sang out to her. “Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come. Arise, my love, my fair one and come away with me!” Hopelessness leaped to her feet and ran to her lover as she flung herself into His open arms. He took her in His arms and laughed out loud as He spoke. “No longer shall you be called Hopelessness. You have followed me and have passed through the tree of blood, so I have given you a new name. Now your name shall be Hopeful One.” Then her Lover, unable to contain His joy, began to rejoice over her with singing and dancing. Thus He sang to Her. “I will sing to you my beloved, for you are my bride.” Then He lifted His Hopeful One up into His arms and sang out. “Come away with me my beloved. For our wedding celebration is prepared.”
