Originally posted: 05/17/2019
Parents of daughters understand… we understand the vigilant scrutiny young men demonstrating any interest in our girls must endure. And there is one question ever looming, ever at the forefront of our minds, “What is your intent?”
As loving guardians and protectors, we take our roles seriously, dissecting and analyzing the true motive of any young man who has set his sights on becoming a suitable suitor for our baby girl.
God is both the Heavenly Father and the Suitable Suitor; His Intent is able to withstand the most arduous of examinations.
Consider His Intent
- His Intent: to sanctify a people to be holy.
- “You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8 You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you,” (20:7-8).
- His Intent: to separate a people to be distinct.
- ”I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples. 25 You are therefore to make a distinction…” (20:24-25).
- His Intent: to set apart a people to be His.
- “Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine,” (20:26).
How do we respond to His Intent?
When a man proposes marriage, he assumes all attachments to old boyfriends are put away. He would not expect his future bride to desire to decorate their new home with framed pictures of past love interests, or worse, continue dating them because she just couldn’t seem to let go.
“You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to live will not spew you out,” (20:22).
When a young bride is convinced of her suitor’s pure and faithful intent and love, she eagerly desires to make her new home with him, and him alone.
“Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them,” (20:23).
In essence, God has proposed. The Creator and King of the Universe, Perfect and Holy God, All Powerful and Mighty One, desires us to be His alone. Doesn’t that fact just knock you off your feet? And hopefully we land right where we belong, deliriously and joyfully at His feet.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness,” (Jeremiah 31:3).
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy,” (Zephaniah 3:17).
We can fully trust His Intent and His love for us, therefore we can trust His commands emanating from His pure and faithful love. As we grow in our love and trust of His Intent, our desire for unwavering obedience will grow.
Let us prayerfully ask Him to increase our desire…
- …to grow in His sanctification,
- Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect, (Romans 12:1-2) .
- …to live as distinctly His,
- But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy, (1 Peter 2:9-10).
- …and to be set apart as His.
- “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,” (John 13:34-35).