Tag: Song of Songs 2:4
A beautiful love story!
Scripture reading for July 15: Song of Songs 1-8
I first met my wife-to-be at a state science fair in Iowa. Mary had a project right next to mine, but I had another girlfriend at the time. We enjoyed talking for the two days of the science fair. Two years later, we both enrolled at Iowa State University. We had classes in the chemistry building and seemed to run into each other frequently there. (I am sure she plotted it that way!) We began to do lots of things together and found ourselves in love! The summer before we got married, I had to go away for basic training at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. Mary wrote often and I loved getting the letters. Being apart was hard but the letters, sometimes laced with perfume, brought fond memories and kept love growing! We have been married for 55+ years and still love each other!
The Song of Songs is a love poem or play, the greatest of many songs that Solomon composed. It tells the story of his courtship and marriage to one of his many wives. I have always enjoyed reading this book and have a few favorite passages. “Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out.” Song of Songs 1:3 Perfumes have a fragrance that can bring pleasant sensations and arouse passions. How lovers say each others name or even give “pet” names can be a special form of communication that is pleasant to the ear and heart! “While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance. My lover is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.” Song of Songs 1:12 The beloved used her perfume to entice her husband at dinner. Her vision of him was one of pleasant and close intimacy! “He has taken me into His banquet hall, and His banner over me is love.” Song of Songs 2:4
“I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My lover is knocking: Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one.” Song of Songs 5:2a When asleep, we are still aware of our lover even when they are not there . Our heart is awaken with love. This time, the beloved wife fails to respond to the knock and call for intimacy. She hears the call, but her drowsiness delays response. She realizes as she awakes that the fragrance of myrrh is on the door latch arousing her desire for him. “I opened for my lover, but my lover had left. He was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer.” Song of Songs 5:6 Love drove her to action to restore the intimacy!
The love story ends with a call to intimacy. “Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.” (Song of Songs 8:6-7) “Let me hear your voice”. . . “Come away, my lover. . .” Song of Songs 8:13-14 Listen closely, Jesus is calling!
Living as children of Light!
Scripture reading for June 21st: Song of Solomon 1-3, Psalm 72, 1st Thessalonians 5
1st Thessalonians 5: 5-10 “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live for Him.”
Paul loved to use contrasts to encourage believers and instruct them in righteous living and motivate them to persevere in the faith. In this passage, light and darkness, day and night are contrasts of the righteous and how they live as opposed to the wicked and their life-style. Those living in the light and day are awake and sober. They are full of faith and love and have the vision of hope of the return of Jesus Christ and the full salvation He promises. Those living in darkness are asleep spiritually and cover their darkness in drunkenness. They have no hope of salvation or a vision of the light of Christ. Those living in light know that they are not destined for wrath and eternal separation from God so they live for Christ!
Psalm 72:18-19 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be His glorious Name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory! Amen and amen!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the Light of Life, Jesus Christ! I am a child of the light and live in anticipation of seeing Jesus Christ on His return to earth for His people. Thank You for the Holy Spirit Who lives in me to empower me to live by faith and to love God and share His love with the nations through preaching the Gospel and giving to missions. Blessed by Your glorious Name forever and ever!
Song of Songs 2:4 “He brought me to his banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.”
Saved for Christ!
Scripture reading for June 19th: Song of Solomon 1-3, Psalm 72, 1st Thessalonians 5
Key Scriptures: 1st Thessalonians 5:8-11 “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation, for God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him. therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to live in the light as children of the light. Christ will come again soon. Whether awake (alive) or asleep (body resting in the grave) we live with Him and for Him. God has not destined His people for wrath but for salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We should encourage each other to continue in faith as we wait for Christ’s return.
Song of Songs 2:4 “He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the light of Your Word and Your love shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and encouragement for others. I long to be with You.
Psalm 72:19 “Blessed be His glorious Name forever; may the whole earth be filled with His glory! Amen and Amen!”
Love never fails!
Scripture reading for July 22nd: 1st Corinthians 13
Key scriptures for over-comers: 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
Paul taught the Corinthians how to be over-comers through the powerful weapon of love. Jesus, Himself, was God’s love gift to the world and He taught the world about God the Father who is Love! We who now are baptized in the Holy Spirit are filled with a river of God’s love that can flow out and melt the hardest hearts and bring in a harvest of souls for our Lord of Love! Biblical love (agape’) never fails to produce fruit for God!
Observations for over-comers: All the gifts and powerful revelations of God and His kingdom will be of no value without God’s love flowing through us! “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1st Corinthians 13:13) “He has taken me into His banqueting hall, and His banner over me is love.” (Song of Songs 2:4)