This Love Libation

I say, “I love you, Lord!” 
And in a minute or two 
I run out of words   
to tell you why. 
But I must try, 
reminding myself of all 
you do for me every day, 
because you love me! 

Millions of people
alive right now
are also your treasure.
And yet you listen
when I ramble,
when I scramble
to beg you to give me
this or that, and
when my mind wanders
you turn my face back
to focus on you,
on what is true:

that you actually died
so that I could be yours!
that you are alive,
and guide me each day!
that you know my failings
and you forgive me 
when I repent and turn around,
that you feed me spiritual food
when I hunger, come what may.

Because you are love itself,
because you never sleep,
never stop counting
the hairs of my head,
always nudge me to notice
what you have prepared
for me to do, for me to say
so that your world
can notice you, feel you,
have one more sorrow healed!

When the Tiepogovogo honey was harvested, a sweet taste test was offered to the congregation. What delight when it was poured into your cup and then into your mouth!  It was going to be sold, to help church projects. This was like a sacrifice to show everyone what a rich blessing was in store. It makes me contemplate the precious love gifts that strengthen relationships, gifts of words and actions that are poured out for each other.

Have you heard of a “libation?” If you were raised listening to the classic English Bible translation, the King James Version, you would have. It is now called a “drink offering,” a liquid that is poured out over a sacrifice for atonement that was to be offered twice a day under the Old Testament law “for a soothing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD” (Exod. 29:41 NET). A lamb was slain and placed on the altar first, along with a grain offering and then the libation: it consecrated the altar as well as speaking devotion to Yahweh.

Once Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice for us to atone for our sins, like that lamb that was sacrificed but with so much more significance, we were ransomed and can enter a new life full of hope:

You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed– not by perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹ but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. (1 Pet. 1:18 NET)

This ultimate once-for-all sacrifice allows us personal access to a new life, cleansed and adopted into the Family of God! Now we are to live out that new status of being consecrated to our Lord (set apart for him). As Paul expressed with passion, this means that we are to make it our all-consuming goal to truly know him:

⁸ More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things– indeed, I regard them as dung!– that I may gain Christ, ⁹ and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness– a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. ¹⁰ My aim is to know him . . . (Phil. 3:8-10a NET)

How can we surrender ourselves to Christ with that kind of whole-hearted trust, believing that it is worth it? How can we personally get to know the God of the Universe who invites us into an intimate relationship? Paul underlines here that it is through a personal self-sacrifice, “the loss of all things”—valuing this relationship with Christ more than anything else. It does not mean that we cannot still love other people; no, we are commanded to love. It does not mean that we must devalue taking care of creation, doing what is right. Instead it requires yearning to please our Lord by doing all that he has asked us to do, and doing it because we love him. This is a part of our “love libation.” Jesus said:

If you love me, you will obey my commandments. (Jn. 14:15 NET)

Another critical element is the one I was trying to accomplish in my own life when I wrote the poem above. When you are in a love relationship with someone, you have conversations with them. You get to know them by sharing life, by noticing what they value and what touches them most. You watch what they do, listen to what they say, how they respond. You notice their reactions and how they show love, then you continue to improve the way you show love in return. I was asking: How could I do this in my relationship with God?  How could I pour out a love offering that was not just ritual words, and that did not cut itself off for lack of interest or a tendency to let distractions cut the conversation?

One way is to notice what he has done for me, for you, what he is doing right now—paying attention to the blessings we receive and the lessons he is teaching. For most of us it is a learning curve to listen to him and what he is saying in response to our questions or assertions or demands. A meaningful conversation is more than just reciting words. It includes sharing one’s heart, both parties in the exchange. How can we hear what God says, and get to know him intimately rather than just as some distant reality?

We have direct access to our Father, who lives in us through Jesus and his Spirit (John 14and 15). There is no directive to go through any other intermediary; we are his and he delights in walking with us, guiding us. He has told us to come straight to him with all that concerns us, trusting his goodness:

Trust in him at all times, you people! Pour out your hearts before him! God is our shelter!  (Ps. 62:8 NET)

Whatever is going on, we can run to him in our hearts and in the prayers we say aloud. He is our safe place, and even when things are tough he is waiting to hear from us and strengthen us:

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matt. 11:28 NLT)

When we give him what is weighing us down, we show that we know he is there, ready to lift the load. The more that we do it the more we get to know him as we hear his comfort and see him at work. It is a journey, one that requires commitment.

When I married my husband, I thought I knew him really well after three years of getting acquainted and becoming committed to a loving relationship. Now, over 53 years later, I know him so much more deeply and intimately!  We’ve shared joy and sorrow, and innumerable experiences that have shown me who he really is—not just in words but by seeing how he lives life. A true commitment to our Lord shows us who he is. We learn much through reading the Bible, his Word that he left us. Then we begin to experience personally who he is as we walk through each moment with him, learning to listen as he guides us or reminds us of truth.

A verse that launched me on this journey when I was just a child is this one:

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.  (Jas. 4:8 NET)

He is right there, inviting us. Our part in developing the relationship is to turn to him and spend meaningful time with him, “drawing near.” You cannot get to truly know someone without spending time with them, exchanging meaningful conversations with them,  walking life together with them in increasing intimacy. Our God is love. He is waiting with open arms and his loving, open heart!

May we consistently offer a love libation, pouring out our heart and receiving his loving response!