Song of Solomon

This is what I wrote about half a year ago. I wrote it in about twenty minutes, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself because I barely saw any grammatical errors.... 

Reading the Song of Songs or Songs of Solomon in twenty minutes, I picked up on a few things I have never noticed before. It’s a book about the closest bond any couple can have. A lover and his beloved who time after time chase one another, or okay, it’s always the beloved (the girl) who is doing the chasing. By the end of the story, they share that intimate moment that bond a couple. Anyway, when you get a chance, please read it. It's a fantastic book of the Bible.

This is first idea that I noticed while reading the book. The beloved continually says, “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires (2:7; 3:5; 8:4). What does that mean? I think it means not to rush into love that we humans enjoy getting into. At least wait until there is a mutual agreement, obviously! Picture a girl who is getting hounded by a guy. He gets her number from a friend and texts her everyday, asking “how ya doing?” The girl is responds only to be friendly once or twice, but by the third or forth time, she is ignoring his texts that accumulate to about four unanswered texts (and yes, this is a true story). Anyway, the guy obviously is pushing for love, while the girl is warding it off by simply not encouraging the advances. Love is not going to come alive no matter how hard we try. That’s why we need to let it flow easily, as the story of the guy who liked the girl, wanted to get to know her, so he asked her to hang out. They came to know each other a little bit more, learning they had some of the same interests, but overall enjoyed each other’s company. The result was a mutual love for one another that occurred. No rush into love. Just letting the love grow gradually and grow between the two. That is how love is. It’s not pushed or shoved into place, but happens at a natural rate. Much like our love for God, right? I mean, nothing has pushed you or me into loving God other than the conviction of our sins, and His saving grace that goes along with it. And I think this is why this verse is prevalent to the love that we share with God. It was never forced nor nurtured that we could quickly turn away from it. No, instead we turn to God because He loved us first (1 John 4:19).

Now, the book Songs of Songs is also a book illustrating God’s love for us. He is the lover, we are the beloved. So when the beloved is saying do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires in terms of God, I get the impression we are not to rush into a relationship with Him until we know what it entails. Yes, God definitely wants a relationship with everyone who has ever walked this earth, but if everyone thought God was this guy up in the sky who was all about peace and love, not considering their sin, the sacrifice of Christ, redemption, and sanctification through him, they would be like the person who went into protest not knowing what it was about. He or she is going to walk away if they later find out the cause is not what they agree upon or that there were consequences for being in such a cause. A relationship with Christ is going to require sacrifices in our lives everyday.

We have to be knowledgeable to the fact that God is love, yes, but He is holy and must bring to justice what is wrong, or contrary to His very nature. What painter would think of having a rabbit in the middle of a painting of an ocean? It doesn’t make sense! That’s a silly example, but honestly God wanted everything He had in mind in existence and whatever is contrary to it, He wants to get rid of it. So when we start a relationship with Him, we are to realize we are sinners because we have not lived according to His idea and standard for our existence. Just think, once we make this commitment of love to our God, we are to love Him continually. We are to give everything to Him. Our mind, heart, and soul. That’s why throughout the book of Songs of Songs, the physical relationship is so important to take note of. When anyone has made that choice to commit in that way to someone, they better be willing to give everything—their independence, heart, money, status, EVERYTHING—to the person.

The second point I noticed was the support of the beloved’s friends (remember we are the beloved). When the beloved is looking for her lover, they ask and tell her things that hint at the support of her love for him. That’s the kind of friends we need to keep in our lives. Ones who will support our walk with the Lord; challenging us to grow in our relationship with him. I love my Christian friends who will encourage me in my walk with the Lord and respectfully tell me the truth no matter how hard it maybe to hear. Oh, but I want to mention how much I enjoy people who may not agree with my beliefs. I have had a few people tell me I shouldn’t go to a Bible college because from what I understand, it was their nice way of saying “I’ll respect you more.” Now in verse 9, in chapter 5 the beloved’s friends say, “How is your beloved better than others, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than others, that you charge us so?”

It reminded me of my non-Christian friends in the past who have challenged my faith. The overall question they are asking me is, “What is makes your God so special than anything else in this world?” I admit, I have been tempted to drink, smoke pot, date gorgeous non-Christian guys, and yet my love and admiration for God is what has kept me from doing it all. So when someone asks what makes your beliefs so special that it’ll make you miss out on this or that, remember your love and commitment to God. He will always be the reason not to do what is wrong.

The third point I have to mention is the beauty God finds in his creation, particularly in us. The Lover says of his beloved “You are beautiful…” (2:13; 4:7; 6:4). The last reference even says she doesn’t have a flaw. How sweet that is to anyone like me who has struggled looking in the mirror everyday and not found at least one flaw. In God’s sight, we are beautiful and isn’t His opinion the only one that really matters? I think so, and you should too!

My last point is convicting to me because many times I recognize this in myself. Often times in the past I have made excuses to surrender to the Lord’s will and when it comes time for God to yank everything I had in my hands, I feel left disappointed and depressed in my sin. Throughout the book of Songs of Songs, the Beloved goes searching for her Lover. At one time in chapter 5, she procrastinates opening the door for him. Reading this I thought to myself, “How many times have I heard the Lord knocking, but I procrastinate or make excuses?” Probably more than I can imagine. I love the Lord, but I fail Him in so many ways. When I do recognize my weak state without Him, I go searching him out again through prayer, his Word, and people who I know will set me straight.

So that said, when have you heard God knocking and you did not answer the door? I ask because I know we do it all the time. Whether it’s the conviction to tell someone the gospel or give an encouraging word in the name of Christ to someone who needs it. Just as the beloved repented and went in search of her lover, so are we whenever we have fallen from God’s plan. We go to greater lengths than we could of if we had just listened to him in the first place. I’m happy to see the beloved finds her lover always in the end, and he is always willing to take her back. This is much like the grace and love of Christ. We mess up, but when we show our sorrow for losing him, he is always there to take us back. How amazing is that?