Saturday 27 May 2023
Music in my ears upon waking: Cher, belting out “It’s in His Kiss!”
“…If you wanna know (shoop, shoop)
If he loves you so (shoop, shoop)
It’s in his kiss (it’s in his kiss)
Oh, that’s where it is (it’s in his kiss)
Having that song in my head while walking the shore, it was easy to hear and see God’s kiss on the earth: the rhythmic caress of waves on the shore, the lines in the sand where tides pushed up seaweed and shells. The Lord had talked to me more than a year ago about his kiss[1]. I asked into the wind: “What are you telling me about all this kissing, Lord?”
Because I made it so, my children experience deep pleasure when they kiss. When parents kiss their children, and children their parents; when husbands and wives embrace and kiss, when love runs electric through you, words and songs are poured out to describe the feelings. I know, for I read your poetry, I hear your love songs.
Consider, child, how much pleasure I built into your sexual union, then consider my pleasure when I am intimate with each of you. For my intimacy with you is beyond and deeper than what you can yet imagine.
I am struck into silence by his words and by my racing thoughts of how easily we equate intimacy with that one act. Yet he knows my thoughts, and compels me to speak:
“You reminded me once that men are inserters and women are receivers, so sometimes we men balk at intimacy that makes us receivers. We act like we don’t know how to receive, when we say we want you to have your way, have your will with us and through us and in us.”
My precious ones, model this in your walk: that you are my first love, and my intimacy is pure and trustworthy, steadfast and unfailing. For I know and recognize the hearts that surrender, and hearts that yearn to love in return, to love in equal measure.
And yes, child, if you want to know if I love you so …
It is in my kiss.
[1] See “A word while walking – 7 April 2022”