I couldn’t believe my ears. My wife had just told me she wanted a divorce!

“But why?” I cried, trying to make sense of the senseless statement. “We’ve been happily married for 27 years. Why now?”

“You wouldn’t understand!” Was her cold reply.

What had happened to the one I considered my best friend? It didn’t make any sense!

“Didn’t we pledge to be united ‘for better or for worse’?” I pleaded. But it was to no avail.

It’s then that I woke up with trembling hands and cold sweat running down my face. The dream was so real! Why would I have had such a nightmare? Was God trying to warn me of something?

I heard His voice telling me: “Now you understand how I feel!”

It’s then that I was reminded of the request I had made of my Heavenly Father just before falling asleep the night before: “Lord, during this night, reveal to me how you see us, your children, in this world. I would like to hear your heartbeat and feel what you are going through.” In His mercy, just moments before I would normally wake up, He answered my prayer.

I buried my face in my pillow and cried. “What have we done with the Lover of our soul?”

Then his words of reassurance came to me: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jer 31:3 NIV)

It is true that God often expresses His love for us by comparing it to a bridegroom who hungers for the presence of his bride: “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” (Isa 62:5 NIV) In fact the ten virgins of Matthew 25:1 “went out to meet the bridegroom.” But something terrible was amiss: Half of them (50%) did not have enough oil and they missed the wedding altogether. The reason? “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” (Matt 25:12 NIV). They were lacking “oil” – the Holy Spirit, the One who makes experiencing God in this life possible.

How many of us truly focus on God in all things? How many of us too often err towards our own understanding of things, thus letting the desires of this world overtake not only our minds, but our hearts and souls as well?

When we are madly in love and engaged to be married, everything we do is done with the one we love in mind. In fact, love for our dear one becomes our only reality. But what happens after the marriage? Years go by, and little by little many of us become distracted by seemingly insignificant things. Work piles up, both at home and at our workplace, and we start to lose touch with the one who made our hearts skip a beat just years before. Little by little we become estranged.

And in thinking of our relationship with God, doesn’t this also sound familiar? How many of us know anyone so in love with us that he or she would willingly die for us! Sadly how many of us have been pulled away from God by mere distractions? Do “not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.” (Num 15:39 NIV)

One thing is for sure! God did not create us to wander into the confines of a prison cell like many of us have done. He created us to be loved and to love to the utmost! This is why God declared boldly “I hate divorce” (Mal 2:16 NIV)

It tears God’s heart apart when we do not accept His love, or worse, when we wander away from His love after briefly experiencing it: “I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen!” (Rev 2:4-5 NIV)

He is still calling us faithfully, every day, every hour, even at this very moment: Come back to me and experience the everlasting love I have towards you. I love you! Get to know me and experience my Love. It’s still not too late! (“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chron 7:14-15 NIV)

“Lord, please forgive us from wandering away from Your love, and for becoming entangled by the meaningless attractions of this world. We repent. Though we don’t always realize it, we are hungry for You. Fill us with Your Spirit. Fill us with Your love and help us experience You to the fullest. We put our trust in You. You are our God, the One we truly love. Thank You Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

The moment after I realized the meaning of this dream, I felt the sensation of a tender embrace. Our Loving Father truly loves each one of us! Now we need to ask ourselves: How will we respond to His love for us?

Rob Chaffart


(To access the entire “Awake!” devotional series, please click here.)