Journal Song 4-6 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine… (Song 6:3a)
Observation: Reading Song can be steamy. For a book in the Canon, it is definitely adult fare. It can be seen as a love story between the Son and his Bride.
Analysis: Whew! Song can get the ol’ mental pictures going.
Face it, I have read commentaries that really try to promote that it is Jesus’ love story to his Bride. If I am being intellectually honest, though…. again, whew!
Still, the story of Song does have a parallelism to the picture of complete surrender to Jesus; spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. It is an allegory, a metaphor to how I am to respond to the Holy Spirit.
I think about it: How do I respond to Jesus daily? Wholeheartedly or periodically? Am I a complete spaz about it or does every moment of the day capture my attention in considering His beauty?
Most folks I will bet effectively turn their Christianity on and off; not necessarily daily or some sort of fixed time cycle like that, but with unconscious regularity—they just don’t think about it. That’s probably, no, exactly what happens to me.
When was the last time I did something simple like pulling a Mary instead of a Martha? Sat at His feet, listening and paying attention? When was the last time I brought spiritual flowers to my Beloved?
I can’t remember.
Prayer: Lord God, there is a shame draping over my shoulders thinking about this. I am not condemned, I know, because of the Blood and faith in the Atonement. But because I take my immature love of you only so far, there is a shame I feel.
Modeling the image of the Bride in Song takes a stretch of imagination. I can think of this, though: I don’t come close.
Why is that? Is it because I think of myself as the disconnected but obedient soldier? The wobbly priest/scholar? A rank and file Christian nobody? You are the Groom and I am your Bride. You love me with an everlasting love I can’t even fully comprehend. And me? Most times I am like Hosea’s wife, Gomer.
Illuminate me with the love of You, fiery and fierce. Cause me to long after your Presence in my quiet place and roar with your praise in the midst of the people. AMEN