Listen, I hear the voice of my Beloved! He's speaking to me! The earth is waking up from winter, and He doesn't want me to remain spiritually asleep. He tells me, "Rise up," and rightly so; I've spent too long entangled in the world.

He is risen, I'm risen in Him. So why cling to worldly desires? I should rise toward Him, away from lesser loves and pursuits. He calls me "My love" and sees me as beautiful. If He holds me so dear, why linger in worldly places?

He says, "Come away." He's calling me away from selfishness and sin, even from the outwardly religious who don't truly know Him. "Come away" is a sweet invitation. What ties me to this world of vanity and sin? Lord, I want to come away, but I'm caught among life's thorns and can't escape as I wish.

If possible, I'd shut my eyes and ears to sin. Your call to "Come away" is music to my soul. Coming to You feels like coming home from exile, reaching safety from a storm, finding rest after work, fulfilling my deepest desires. But, Lord, how can I, a mere stone or clay, rise up?

Lift me, draw me. Only Your grace can do this. Send Your Holy Spirit to ignite love in my heart, and I'll rise until I leave this life behind and truly come away.