Wednesday, April 18, 2012

God's Love is Always Like a Sacred Song -- Mesu Andrews has brought that to life in her new book.

     MESU ANDREWS is an author and speaker who has devoted herself to passionate study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep love for God’s Word, Andrews brings the biblical world alive for her audiences. Mesu and her husband, Roy, have two grown children and (Praise God!) a growing number of grandkids. They live in Washington, where Roy teaches at Multnomah University. They have a Rottweiler-pitbull named Bouzer who keeps Mesu company while she writes. She's published two books, Love Amid the Ashes and Love's Sacred Song. Two more are scheduled for release with Revell in March of 2013 and 2014.  
Mesu is generously offering an autographed GIVEAWAY of her newest release.  No doubt, you are as excited as I am.
Provide your answer to a question Mesu wants you to reflect upon. (See below) We look forward to reading your comments and will draw the winner's name in a few days.

Let's find out what Loves Sacred Song is all about!

 Standing in the overpowering shadow of his famous father, young king Solomon wavers between fear and bravado, longing for a love that is true and pure—a love that can be his cornerstone. A shepherdess in the northern city of Shunem, Arielah has known since she first laid eyes on Solomon that it was her destiny to become his bride. When her father secures a promise from King Solomon to marry Arielah as a treaty bride to help unite the kingdom, it seems her dreams will come true. But how can this simple shepherdess live as part of Solomon’s harem? Can Solomon set aside his distractions to give himself completely to just one woman? Or will he let duty, deception, and the daily routine divide his heart?

I wonder! WILL HE? Now, we're going to have to read this book to find out.

Shall we take a look at an excerpt?


Arielah tiptoed around the sleeping forms of her surly brothers. Empty wineskins served as silent witnesses to their drunken slumber. Kemmuel and Igal would be snoring till dawn. They’d been a disgrace to Abba Jehoshaphat and to the tribe of Issachar since they were old enough to tend sheep.

Kemmuel rolled on his side and smacked his lips, and Arielah stood like a stone. A moment later, she reached for the iron handle and tugged open the rough-hewn cedar door. The bottom corner scraped the dirt and creaked on leather hinges. She held her breath. Glancing slowly over her shoulder, she sighed her relief at the steady rise and fall of her brothers’ chests.
A shadow of melancholy swept over her. They looked so peaceful lying there, but their rage was a living thing boiling just beneath the surface. If only they would let her love them. But her big brothers rebuffed even the love Abba and Ima tried to offer. Arielah had learned at an early age to keep her distance or reap her brothers’ wrath, and now she spent most of her time avoiding them. Tears blurred her vision.

Check out Mesu's first chapter free on her website.


And to see Mesu's Book Trailer, check this out:


Mesu's Reflection and Question for you.


Oftentimes I hear Christ-followers describe God as a god of love in the New Testament and a god of wrath in the Old Testament. It breaks my heart. Our Abba-God is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and it’s my passion to write Old Testament stories that reveal His enduring love.


     Parents who only sacrifice for their children, and never discipline, aren’t very loving parents at all. Part of that loving discipline is establishing clear boundaries in order that children know right from wrong and know the consequences of disobedience.

     In the Old Testament, our Abba-God establishes the Law of Moses and pursues His people with a relentless passion that is downright frightening.

     We see His love best described in Song of Songs 8:6-7 – “…love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.” Now, marry this definition of love with the words in 1 Cor. 13:4-8 – “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking…”
MY QUESTION FOR YOU:
When you merge the two definitions of love,
and apply them to our infinite God, how does it change your image of Him?
How does it change your image of human love?

Zeph. 3:17 - "The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."  

And Mesu's final comment to all of us:

      It’s funny how even extroverts have to deal with low self-esteem. When we added the myriad of chronic illness symptoms that sap my ability to DO those things that make me feel worth, the battle against depression rages. Zeph. 3:17 has become my sword and shield. The LORD is with me. I’m not alone. The LORD is mighty to save. Even when my strength is gone. The LORD delights in me. Really? Who knows why, but the Bible never lies, so I’ll take His Word for it! He will quiet me with His love. Even when fibro-fog (a symptom and by-product of fibromyalgia) muddles my thoughts, He loves me. And here’s the real clincher…He rejoices over me with SINGING. I’ve heard of angels singing, but God? Nuh-uh! But He does! And He’s doing it because He’s rejoicing over ME!!! Now, if God can rejoice of pitiful ol’ me, surely I can work up a little joy for the amazing God I serve.
      He is truly amazing…and He sings! J 




Drop us a comment. We want to hear from you.








8 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Wow Mesu! I am a little stumped by the question! I'm having trouble bringing words to my thoughts. Reading through the Songs scripture is absolutely - wow - to think of God's love being that mighty, fierce and ferocious. I look at the depth of His love for me.....the sacrifice of His one and only Son - perfect and unblemished - Wow! There's nothing I can do to make Him love me more then He already does - it's just so incredible! And now, as a human, I need to reach out and take hold of His love, living by His example and loving without envy, selfishness, pride - unconditionally.......allow the "new" to come as He promises to give when I'm willing to receive. Love you Sister! Heather

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  3. My image of God isn't changed by the two definitions of love. I know what you are referring to when you talk about the God of love/wrath in the NT/OT... I was brought up in a church like that for many years. That is a very limiting view of God though. If He was so wrathful in the OT, then why did He give a way out... or sacrifices... not just once, but again and again? If He is only a God of Love in the NT, then why did Jesus use a whip on the money changers in the Temple?

    My Dad is the best human example of God I have ever seen. He spanked me often as a child, because I did things I wasn't supposed to, but he hugged me often too. He showed me discipline and grace. Because of him and because of being a parent now myself, I can understand God a little better. Realize I said a LITTLE better. :)

    Human love is so lacking... it is more often selfish and self-serving. It is prideful and arrogant and selective. Oh, to love like God does.

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  4. Hi Heather! I love that you're pondering the OT love! That's fabulous! It was little startling for me the first time I thought about it. It's not bad--because it's God--but it's definitely different than I'd ever considered His love before.

    And pwnmom! Amen sista! What a joy to have experienced that positive father role in your life. Blessings on you. Whether we have that positive role to compare, or the negative role of an earthly father to know Abba as OPPOSITE of, grasping that Yahweh is Yeshuah...very important. Thanks so much ladies for chatting! ;)

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  5. I am always awed by the depth, width, and neverending/unconditional love of God for which I feel so unworthy of, but time and again He has pursued me and shown His unwavering love for me. It is very hard to fathom it when you think in human terms because on earth it seems love has strings attached, it can be selfish, boastful, and comes with terms and it is not like God's love. At least from my experiences while growing up and as an adult. I love with God that I do not have to be beautiful outwardly, I do not have to be super intelligent, I do not have to be of highest social class or make large sums of money, I don't have to belong to all the hip clubs in town, and so on - God loves me 100% just as He made me! God is the perfect example of what true Love really is and what He expects us to be from knowing Him intimately.

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  6. Hi lorlyn63! God's PURSUIT is an amazing thing. It's the theme of Love's Sacred Song...his unending, relentless pursuit. You nailed it, gal! His love is the rock on which we can build every hope and dream. You're right. Human love fails--whether it's the love of others or our ability to love. It's flawed. God's is flawless. Thanks so much for stopping by! ;)

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  7. Wow is right, what a question.

    I've thought many times about the Old Testament character of God that was one of discipline and protection. He protected His people, the nation of Israel from many dangerous enemies and from their own stubbornness. They were learning obedience..

    The Lord of the New Testament protects us with his blood that covers all. His Holy Spirit is in us as believers and teaches us about Christ, teaches us wrong from right, showing us how to repent, how to love, how to forgive, how to pray, how to adore, how to worship, and on and on.

    God is God whether He is of the Old Testament or the New Testament. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, only his method of interacting with us is different between the testaments.

    This makes sense in my head, I hope it makes sense in print.

    Thank you for this most thought provoking question.

    Blessings to you,
    Denise
    ddjordan_sbg_0803@yahoo.com
    Saved by Grace in August, 2003

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  8. Wow, Denise...I love your comments about the purpose of God's love in the Old Testament...protecting His people from their own stubbornness, teaching them obedience. YIKES! Right on, gal! Amazing insight there. And isn't that what Hebrews 5:8 says about Jesus? He learned obedience through what He suffered. Good stuff, gal! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Blessings on ya!

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