Discover His heart: He planned intimacy for us to enjoy
Tom and I recently celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary. We thought we were really in love the day we got married, but when I think about our love today and how much it has grown over the years I realize our early love was just a drop in the bucket of what it would become. Our young couple in Song of Solomon has just embarked on their marriage journey; and as can be expected, it is with great excitement.
@ Song of Solomon 4
“You are beautiful, my darling, beautiful beyond words. Your eyes are like doves behind your veil. Your hair falls in waves, like a flock of goats winding down the slopes of Gilead. Your teeth are as white as sheep, recently shorn and freshly washed.” (1-2) Solomon, you sweet talker! Well, he started out right – every woman wants to be called beautiful, but the references to farm animals are lost to me. For the shepherdess woman, however, these words held their own special charm. Solomon wooed his new bride with compliments, and compliments are never lost on anyone.
“Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Come down from Mount Amana…” (8) The young man invited the young bride to come away with him as they started their home together and asked her to leave all the beautiful mountains and places she may have known in the past that held meaning for her. This was the beginning of their marriage as Jesus described in Matthew 19:5-6, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?’ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Leave and cleave, one flesh, forever – this is God’s plan for us.
I must admit that even today, after all these years together, when I catch a glimpse of my husband across a crowded store or room and our eyes meet, my heart often does a little thing. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but take it from me, it’s all good. I’m relatively sure that Solomon understood it when he said, “You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes.” (9)
We may feel somewhat like voyeurs as we read the passionate words of this young couple so desperately in love, but the love language they share and the commitment they profess should only serve to enrich our personal relationships to be what God has intended. Then, when we think of God’s love for us that is really too intense, too deep to be contained in simple words such as these, we should be challenged to come away with Him. May we be inspired to leave all the things familiar to us in exchange for a time of intimacy with Him because His deep love has captured our hearts.
Moving Forward: I’m exceedingly blessed by His love and by his love today and so very thankful for both.
Tomorrow @ Revelation 7-11
Phyllis Benigas 