Falling in Love with Jesus - Engagement [Fall Series #5]

I could feel the heat melting the bottoms of my shoes. The past 6 miles completely dragged and my boyfriend had raced way ahead of me from the beginning. The crowd was too tight, my co-worker was running horrifically slow (on purpose mind you). Her random phone conversations during the race, her complaints that she was ill, and the annoyance that I was not going to beat my goal caused me to leave her behind the last quarter mile and just make a break for it to the finish line. I sprinted with all I had, then I saw it - my goal - and I rejoiced. Yet, it was NOT the finish line crowd or the camera man that caught me off guard as I wiped the sweat off my face, it was the boy who had raced ahead of me so early on bending down on one knee with a ring in his hand... this boy was asking me to marry him! My heart flew out of my mouth, the tears jumped hastily to the ground, and my lungs forgot how to work. After a funky wanna-be "YES!" Adam Palacios and I were officially ENGAGED!

Engaged. The moment I said yes! The girly dream, the mind racing with preparation thoughts, the pictures and phone calls... I was engaged!

I said YES because I could not imagine life without Adam. He was my best friend, he knew all my secrets, he knew more about me than anyone else on earth. We had the intimate conversation that revealed past regrets, pains, hurts, future dreams, hopes, and goals. He did not turn me away after I confessed so much to him, and I did not turn him away after he confessed so much to me. We knew we could do this... we knew that engagement was the next step.

Jesus wants you to step to this level with him, too. Understanding the aspects of intimacy- confessing sins, pains, regrets, and much more to him- opens you up to this beautiful opportunity of committing to a serious relationship with Jesus. Exclusive. Intimate. Engaged. Falling in love with Jesus will change you. He will put that "ring" on you and label you his own. Once you say "Yes" to his proposal, a proposal to live for him, Jesus is filled with excitement. You don't understand how much you are loved by him!

Jesus left his heavenly throne,
he walked this earth,
he vanquished temptation,
he suffered a painful death,
then conquered the grave...
all because He Loves You!

His proposal was there on the cross when he laid down his life for you...
His proposal was there in the empty grave...
His proposal was there when he asked Peter "Do you love me... then feed my sheep!"

Do not wait until the third time He asks to take his proposal... follow him!

"When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"
He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."
He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
He said to him, "Yes Lord; you know that I love you."
He said to him, "Tend my shoe."
he said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?"
and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep." ... "Follow me.""
(John 21:15-19)

You see, this is Jesus reinstating Peter. Peter had just denied his relationship with Jesus, not once, not twice - NO! Peter denied their relationship three times in the matter of hours.  Yet, Jesus loved him so much, just as much as he loves you, that he gave him another chance.

Do you love him? 
Are you willing to follow him?
He does not care if you denied him 5 times... he died on the cross for you, and if you've made it this far my friend... your heart is still soft enough to accept his extravagant proposal.

Let me tell you friend... following Jesus is worth everything this world has to offer, and more.