They were looking for an old couch that was well broken in, and comfortable and most of all, cheap. They were college kids on a mission so they went to a thrift store and began to "try out" the different couches until they found one that they all could agree on and then proudly paid $20.00 for the piece and then took it home.
As they began to work on cleaning the couch, they discovered an envelope that had been carefully tucked within the upholstery of the couch cushions. The envelope contained cash!
That is when the bizarre part of the story began to take place. As they looked into the couch they began to discover envelope after envelope full of cash. The thrift store couch was literally stuffed with money!
Over $40,000.00 worth to be exact.
(I provided the link at the bottom of this post so that you can see more about what happened when they found out who the money belonged to)
Have you ever found something incredible that you did not ever intend to find? I mean, you went out looking for one particular thing but in your search you came across something insanely amazing?
Maybe you were shopping for something specific and found something entirely different?
Maybe you went to visit a particular person but ended up meeting someone else that changed the course of your day?
Maybe you were going to call somebody only to wind up seeing them in person and it made a bigger impact than a phone call or e-mail ever could?
You were let go from one job only to receive a better job? A financial setback turned out to be a financial blessing?
I want to share something with you that has helped me, in so many different ways, to see God's heart when I have trouble seeing His hand.
"I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies." ~ Song of Solomon 6:11-13
This is a beautiful part of the love story found within the Song of Solomon, and if Nicholas Sparks were to write this portion into a movie script, it would be a scene that would make the majority of the audience burst into emotional tears.
Look at the first part with me for a moment.
"I went down to the grove of walnut trees and out to the valley to see the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom."
Look at what she went into the valley to find. Walnuts, grapes and pomegranates. These speak of satisfaction. She went looking for something that would arouse her senses to bring satisfaction in her soul. It was only a thrift store couch in comparison to what she found.
"Before I realized it, my strong desires had taken me to the chariot of a noble man."
The desires that she had for satisfaction were met in the King. In verse number eleven, she did not go out looking for a noble man or a chariot. This is very captivating to me because EVERY desire that you and I have was given to us by God and can only truly be satisfied by The King!
In fact, every single thirst that we have was designed by God because every thirst that we have can only be satisfied BY God.
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" ~Psalms 42:1-2
Jesus made a statement that really caught my attention.
"In
the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying , If
any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." ~
John 7:37
Did you notice what a person had to thirst for in
order to come to Jesus? If any man thirsts for things that are good
right?If any man thirsts for things that
are noble, moral and good right? No.Did you know that God designed our ability to experience thirst?
In fact, every single thirst that we have was designed by God because every thirst that we have can only be satisfied BY God. So the question is in the middle your crisis, what are you thirsting for?
What is it that you
are thirsting for today?Significance?
You can pursue any avenue you wish to try to gain this and many people do. It is a God implanted thirst, but it was planted with the only way to be satisfied being found IN Him. Our significance will only be found IN Him. If you are being driven to drink for significance, then rest assured the thirst is for Him and will be satisfied IN Him.
Intimacy?
True intimacy is not found in a relationship with anyone other than Christ. We were created to be in fellowship with Him and once we take our thirst to Him we will find fulfillment.
Security?
There has to be a time when each of us come to Him as our strength and shield. He is able to take care of us tomorrow just as He has every day leading up to today.
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." ~John 6:35
I love the interaction between God and a very young King Solomon when Solomon was given the opportunity to ask God for anything that he wanted. His response to God's offer was amazing because it spoke of Solomon's very hearts desire.
"And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:" ~ 2 Chronicles 1:11
In the Song of Solomon, this shepherd girl goes in search of something to satisfy her senses and her deepest desires were met in the person of the King.
If you desire security and seek after that with your hearts desire, what you will find is that the sources you sought it in will soon evaporate and you are left with just God. The very desire for these things in life can be what leads us to Him. The desire and search for significance and intimacy are the very much the same way.
People will abandon, hurt and betray you in your search to find these things in them as the source. What you are seeking without knowing it, is really only to be found in the King.
"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
~ Psalms 37:4
Most Christians get this verse wrong.
We apply "desires of my heart" to a better this or a more expensive that. The job, car, house, family etc that we want in our mind, is not what it is that we truly desire.
We get hung up on the size and color and comfortability of the couch and pass by, completely oblivios to the contents the within the couch.
People wind up pursuing so many things that will ultimately fail them, and the failure is not a punishment from God but rather and invitation to find Him as the source that they have truly desired in that area that they struggled to fill.
What the girl in Song of Solomon six was saying is, "I went out looking to be satisfied, and my desire for satisfaction led me to the King. I became His companion in the closest sense of the word and I traveled with Him out of the very vineyard I entered in my desire. My desire led me into a place where I could find the source, and He, My true desire, took me out of that place and into His embrace.
Look at the response that was given by those who knew this girl the best, after she found the source.
"Return, return to us, O maid of Shulam.Come back, come back, that we may see you again."
People want to see genuine. They want to see real. A Christian who is genuine and real will always be attractive to a world that is cheap, and fake.
What you find in Him is everything that you never knew that you ever wanted.
What you find in Him is everything that you never knew that you ever wanted.
As I write this blog post, my heart can truly express what is shown in the picture just above this line. I went out looking for so many things and in my desire, I found myself in the vineyards and valleys that should have contained what I thought I was after. It was there that my desire led me past the rows of couches to the treasure! Christ IS Life!
What I found IN Him so far overshadows what it was that I thought that I wanted.
It was the lady that was taken in adultery that looked to the ground in shame after being caught in the very act, that saw someone purposely stoop to be in her line of sight. We all know that adultery is a sin and she was most certainly not standing proud during this "bust". Her head was lowered and she stared at the dirt in shame. Jesus began to write in the dirt, I believe, to catch her eyes with the movement. Jesus knew the answer to the question that no one thought to ask that day.
"Why?"
Why does anyone commit adultery? Un-fulfillment. The act of the sin did not throw God into a "I cant believe you were capable of this" tirade, and neither did the reason that she committed the act. The reason she committed the adultry is why He came to earth in the first place.
He stoops down into her line of sight. He was saying in His action, "You did this because you do not have me". It was If any man thirst type of stuff going on here. Then He says, "Go and sin no more". He was not winking at sin, He was saying, "You have me and you no longer need to try to seek fulfillment in another person. Your desire for intimacy, security and significance has been found in me. Your desire led you to the source."
That makes me feel breathless to read that right now, because God is our source. We have the greatest find in our life when we discover Him!
If the "couch" you are trying to find comfort in is not working. The answer is not yet another couch. The answer is the treasure God has always been and He is found through desire. Ask Him to show you what you desire most to be shown to you IN Him today, and I promise you that life will never be the same!
Climbing with you,
~Dan
* The story of the thrift store couch can be found (HERE)
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