Morning Prayer!!! Wow!

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: so clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your name. Amen.As I was praying the morning office ‘this prayer’ caught me: “...that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace...”!What an amazing thought! He came and went to the cross that “everyone” could come into His “saving embrace.” In His embrace we are “saved” or as the song says, “safe and secure from all alarm.”This embrace is not found or earned, for it is the embrace of grace. To be held by the One who had every right not to hold you and yet holds you in spite of your sin. To love you even when you did not love Him. To come to you even though you had run from Him. That is what makes this embrace "Divine."To then come to rest in this embrace because you realize that this is the safest place you could be, this is the arms of your Father. This embrace reveals not only His love but your identity. Here in these arms you find your home."The heart is restless until it rests in God." (Augustine)This one line of this small prayer carried me into His Presence. And there in this Divine embrace the intercessor continued: “so clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hand in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you...”I have long been aware that it is His Spirit that is our robe, the very best robe. It is His Spirit that has ultimately clothed our nakedness. That clothing not only covers but empowers us to move into mission. He clothes us in His Spirit that we may bring others into this same embrace. The Spirit is the empowering ability to bring others into His Presence.Oh, Lord Jesus answer this prayer this morning. That we who live in your embrace would bring others into your embrace! Into this “Divine Embrace of Love!”