dante's prayer - Loreena Mckennit

When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone

I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Then the mountain rose before me
By the deep well of desire
From the fountain of forgiveness
Beyond the ice and fire

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me
Please remember me

I have posted this song because of it's reference to the 'dark night.' Dan on his blog Faith Dance has been talking about friendships between genders and the beauty that is found in our deepest relationships. He also talks about the dark night of friendship, when closeness has been broken. I've been thinking a lot about that.
It seems to me that when God created us for intimacy with Him that he gave us our earthly friendships as a training ground, a fore-shadowing of the intimacy of love we would find with Him. Just as our bodies have been affected by the inheritance of sin our relationships have too. We certainly see this in our marriages and with all eyes on that we tend to forget about our friendships. They are affected too.
Our bodies require food, we can only go for so long before our hunger or thirst makes itself known. He gives us food, and shows us how it sates our hunger, but hunger returns with renewed need for more. We can never be completely filled, or eat to our hearts (or stomach's) content without feeling the pain of too much. This hunger and filling fore-shadows our need for Him, our hunger for His spirit to fill us to overflowing.
I think he uses our relationships in this way too. I have enjoyed close relationships with my friends both male and female. My trust is hard won, I am cautious, but once my trust is given it is hard to shake. I know that I am loyal to my friends. It is because I recognize the beauty of deep relationships, I would even say that I crave them. I think it is something that He has given me in trust, as a fore-shadowing of the intimacy I can have with Him.
I know that my broken relationships break God's heart because they offend this intimacy that He wants for me. I move away from His beauty instead of moving closer to Him. This is why He cautions us so strongly against the spirit of division; He knows how deep the wounds of that will be. It breaks us, just as it breaks Him.
Right now I feel lost in the dark night of friendship. It seems irretrievable. Not just broken but completely gone. I'm feeling His pain as well as my own.

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

I know He is a God of reconciliation, I'm just trying to find my way there.

May He give you eyes to see
beauty
only the heart understands.