THE KISS OF GOD

Posted on April 23, 2009

Don't miss next week's newsletter: "Womanizing, Adultery, and Homosexuality - Do they have anything in common?"

To experience the kiss of God is to desire Him more.
 
What is the kiss of God?  It is coming into His presence in a supreme powerful, intimate way -- to be immersed and absorbed in Him. 
 
The expression, Kiss of God, was coined by Bernard, a European monk of the 1100's, when he wrote allegorically about Song of Songs (1:2a).
 
I offer a metaphor that compares the kiss of God with how we more deeply experience our wives through spending more one-on-one time with them.  In the same way, we also get tighter with God by spending solitary time with Him.  
 
And just as with our wives, we have to be intentional to devote time to allow our intimacy with God to deepen.  CAUTION: Church attendance and a prayer, used as a lucky charm and as a covering of our bases won't get it, no more than the sending of roses to our wives will get it when we do it only when we're in trouble.
 
But the rewards are immense in truly knowing He is really here for us.  And because of a growing love within us for Him, we're increasingly wanting to be at service to Him through acts of loving others.
 
Being immersed in his Word for the primary purpose of connection is essential.  This is different from reading the Bible ina scholarly, academic approach in order to try to figure God and things out.  We're never ever going to even get close to comprehension of God (Romans 11:33-36).  The closest we get is to observe the visible image of him that's in His son.  (This is not to discredit scholarly treatment of the Word, but scholars have been diligent at this for 2000 years and still don't agree with each other)
 
And what's the point to try to figure out God if it doesn't result in our being inspired and better trained to live and love like Christ?  Our purpose is to bless and introduce those around us to the real Christ - not only by our words but even more by how we love others (Acts 9:36; Galatians 2:10)
 
So, let us embrace the mystery of God -- to desire to come into a greater mystical union with Him.  Let's allow this mystery to absorb us in life-changing, loving ways.  
 
Such a mystical union occurs when I bring my direct experiences, along with what I've learned, to know and love God more -- to enlarge what He's whispering to me.  And I have to quiet my soul in order to be able hear his whispers (Psalm 131:2).  So, in our noise-polluted culture, I must regularly arrange to get the outside quiet before I can hear what He's telling me on the inside.
 
Experiencing the kiss of God is usually not an overnight experience to be had.  Just as it takes time to absorb and experience the deeper meaning of the value and love of my wife, it also takes time to increasingly experience the Kiss of God.


Go back