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My Beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away with me. Songs of Songs 2:10
I read a few chapters from Songs of Songs a few days ago, and I must say, I got uncomfortable. I was wondering; "can this passionate, intimate and obviously sexual language be referring to our relationship with God?" I had to go and read a few Bible commentaries. Some commentators felt as I did, this can’t possibly refer to our relationship with God, while others took it for granted; “yes this does refer to our relationship with God.” I pondered and prayed about it for a few days.Then it came to me; God talks to us in metaphors because we are unable to understand the divine things. So it makes perfect sense that he would use the smouldering passion existing between a newlywed couple, to teach us about His great love for us and to invite us into greater intimacy with Him.
As a matter of fact, references to the covenant, or marriage between God and his people is frequent in the Bible. The prophets, like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah uses it. The excellent book of Hosea, where God compares himself to a faithful longsuffering husband and us to the faithless, wandering wife is a good example. This book reminds us that he loves us and will always be ready to accept us when we come back to him. God loves us in a profound and intimate way, and his desire is that we return his love in like manner.
There is no doubt about this metaphor in the New Testament. Jesus used weddings to explain realities about the kingdom, and he referred to himself as the bridegroom; “And Jesus said to them, ‘you cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?’ But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." Luke5:34-35, Paul also used it; “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.” 2 Cor. 11:2 and who can forget the brilliant description of the reunion between Christ and his bride in Revelation? "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.’ It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb '" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." Rev 19:7-9.
So, I am convinced. God calls us to a covenant of love, to a deep, passionate and enduring relationship with himself. How will respond to this invitation to greater intimacy with the lover of our souls? Can we reply like the bride in Songs of Songs: “I found him whom my soul loves. I held him and would not let him go.” SS 3:4
Prayer
Oh, Holy lover of my soul, I am overwhelmed by your love and passion for me. I know that I am unworthy of such great love. Help me to seek you in turn. Enable me to love you in Spirit and truth. Amen
Contemplation
1. Do you believe that God loves you deeply and intimately? Have you accepted His love?
2. How is God’s love challenging you to be transformed today?