Woo the True You

Bill has been wooing me for over 40 years.

Earlier this month I finished two-thirds of the certificate course I’ve been taking on-line.

In one of the last lectures, John’s words, “Woo the true you,” captured my attention. 

The rhyming of the words, the truth of the statement, and the affirmation of what is already my practice caused me to stop and think again of how important that is. Thank you, John Lynch.

According to Wikipedia to woo or wooing is a term for courtship, the pursuit of a romantic relationship.

I would not describe God’s relationship with me as courting or romantic. But I would describe it as a love relationship. So perhaps the verb, woo, is appropriate. 

Who is the true me that needs wooing?

I John 3:1 is one of many scriptures that answer. “What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are.” The Message.

The true me … marvelously loved, child of God. 

Do you ever have days when you don’t feel marvelously loved? Like the time when you were passed over for the job opportunity, the one that fit you so well. Or the day the feared diagnosis was confirmed.

Circumstances don’t dictate truth! Truth dictates truth!

But circumstances often create feelings. That’s when I need to allow God to woo me, to bring me back to truth.

I need reminders. I need wooing.

Holding my special leather journal while sharing at a retreat.

So I run for my journal—the special leather journal—that contains all the important stuff, like the scriptures recorded on the very first pages telling me of God’s love for me. Once again I allow God to woo me.

Psalm 41:11, “By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.” My enemy, Satan, does not want me knowing God’s love, his delight, his wooing. 

And sometimes, just sometimes, I’m my own worst enemy. Satan shouts and reminds me of lies that are so easy to believe, like I’m not good enough. God's voice is more often whispers.

The enemy’s shouts are my warning to remind myself AGAIN of truth, to allow God to whisper to my heart, to woo me.

Last winter while reading Brennan Manning’s last book, The Furious Longing of God, I experienced God’s wooing. It was one of those wonderful days. He opened the chapter I was reading with these words …

“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.”                                                                                                    Song of Solomon 7:10