It is Love I Desire, Not Sacrifice

"I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage. I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the water, I will be with you; in the rivers you shall not drown. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, the flames shall not consume you. Because you are precious in my eyes and glorious and because I love you."

I walked the street this morning where I have been told it is dangerous to walk, and felt unafraid. I called out:

"Come hurt me, harm me. Take my money, the money that was for me. Beat me, mistreat me. Snuff from me my very breath, that which gives me life. Abuse me, whip me, distort me with pain. Deprive me of all that is precious. Prevent me from keeping that which I hold dear, what I truly desire, want, need. End my dreams; make of my life a nightmare without end. Come now, here I am. I dare you. If there is a human being alive who would do these things to me I ask you to come now. Here I am." No one came. Yet, as I walked, I felt robbed, beaten, deprived, hopeless. Who then did this to me?

I walked the street this morning where I have been told it is dangerous to walk; and felt unafraid, for no one could ever be as cruel to me as I have been to myself. Given but one life, one precious life to cherish and nurture, how could I have ever been so foolish? I thought...I thought it was required.

"I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage; you shall have no other gods beside me."

Let the Lord your God love you and bring you back to life.