Day #207
Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 5 - 6 …
With graphic language Solomon writes of the
anticipation of the "beloved," for her "lover."
God uses Solomon's illustration to continue to picture the desire of both the
bride and the bridegroom for each other … pointing to Christ and His Church.
We have seen previously that God calls Himself Israel's "husband" and
accuses Israel of committing adultery. And the Apostle Paul explains in
Ephesians 5:22-33 that the marriage of a man and a woman is an illustration of
Christ and His Church, His Bride. Taken in that context, the expressions
of love and desire in these chapters point us again to the intimate
relationship that God desires with you and me, and with all who "open
the door to Him" through the work of His Spirit within us.
Chapter 5, verses 2-8, appear to describe a time
when Christ comes to the door, and while the "beloved's" heart
is awake, she is found sleeping, and by the time she answers the door her "lover had
left; he was gone" (5:6). Her heart sank at his departure.
In Revelation 3, Jesus is pictured as standing at the door and knocking.
In the context, Jesus tells believers not to be "lukewarm" …
He says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If
anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and
he with me" (Revelation 3:20). Only those who are moved by the
Spirit will "open the door" of their hearts and receive
Jesus Christ.
As those who know that we are "beloved," there
can be those times when spiritual apathy can creep in and it is as though we
are asleep. I think of Jesus' parable of
the ten virgins in Matthew 25. They take their lamps and go out to wait
for the bridegroom. Five of them take extra oil with them, the other five
don't. The bridegroom was a long time coming and they all became drowsy
and fell asleep. Finally, at midnight the cry rang out, "Here's
the bridegroom!" (Matthew 25:6). The five virgins who had
extra oil trimmed their lamps and filled them with oil, prepared to meet the
bridegroom. But the other five were not prepared and missed the wedding
banquet.
How like so much of the human race! Most remain
unprepared to meet the Bridegroom when He comes. They do not know God's
love in Christ and have no "desire" within them for Him.
How many in the church are "asleep," not caring if
Jesus returns or not, simply claiming to be Christians and offering the least
they can and still soothe their conscience that it is enough, that if
"something" should happen, they'll go to heaven?? These have
no love for Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church, the "Lover" of
those who truly believe, who have been born again by His Spirit.
Reading these chapters is a reminder of the
longing, the desire that we as believers must have for our Savior. Where is
that longing as people think only of this life and cling to it as if there was
nothing more to hope for? Near the end
of his life the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: "I have fought the
good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is
in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who
have longed for His appearing" (II Timothy 4:7-8). Doesn't that
sound like the longing expressed in these chapters of Solomon's "Song
of Songs"?
How do you describe Jesus to your friends?
How do you describe the Church to others? Solomon's "beloved" describes
her "lover" in Chapter 5, verses 10-16. Such is the
radiance and beauty of our "Beloved" One, the Christ, the
eternal Son of God, majestic, radiant, perfect, pure, holy, righteous, just,
good, faithful, merciful, compassionate … and more … so much more. As He
prays for His Bride, His "beloved," in John 17, Jesus prays, "Father,
I want those You have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory,
the glory You have given me because You loved me before the creation of the
world" (John 17:24). Jesus' love for us, His Bride, took Him to
the cross. Our Father's love for us sent His Son to bear the penalty for
our sin. How much do YOU love HIM?!
The "friends" ask the "beloved," "Where
has your lover gone?" The answer is, "My lover has gone
down to His garden …" Jesus uses the garden as an
illustration in John 15 when He says, "I am the true vine, and my
Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no
fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be
even more fruitful …" (John 15:1-2). So the "lover"
says of His "beloved," "You are beautiful,
my darling … my dove, my perfect one, is unique …" (6:4,9).
So is the beauty of the Church to Christ. Those whom He has chosen
have been made holy, perfect, in the Father's sight through the cleansing of
the blood of Christ, our Savior.
The "friends" ask, "Who
is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
majestic as the stars in procession?" (6:10). The answer to
that question is, "JESUS!" Jesus loves His Bride … and
those who are truly part of the Bride love Jesus. Paul writes, "the
greatest gift is love" because true spiritual love forms the
foundation for our relationship with Christ. Anyone can say they believe in
Jesus, but only the heart transformed by the Spirit can begin to love Him,
knowing He first loved us!
Are you "in love" with Jesus?
Does your love for Him fill you with desire? Or are you "sleeping" and
in danger of "missing" Him? Jesus' love for His
Bride is powerful and transforming. Knowing you are loved by the One Who
died, rose again and ascended into heaven and Who will come to gather His
people together for the wedding banquet makes life worth living every day.
We sang it as children, but I pray now that you understand the depth of
its meaning: "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me
so!" And I pray that you are moved by the Spirit to love Him
back!!
"My Lord and my God, Your love for me through
Christ goes beyond explanation, and my heart's response seems so inadequate to
express my love for You. In Your grace to me You have forgiven my sins
and have called me into Your presence. Saying, 'Thank You!' is
not enough, Father, so as I come to Jesus, my King, I say, 'I love You!'
Continue Your work within me so that my love for You may grow stronger
and my life be used to point others to Your beauty and Your majesty! In
Jesus' name, Amen"
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