I’m so excited to share the next chapter of Song of Songs with you! I think it is lovely. Right away in the first verse the Brides maidens are talking to the Bride. They are inquiring about the Groom, for they too want to find him. They promise to follow her, the Bride, so that they too will find him. Isn’t that lovely? The influence that you have as the Bride of Christ, the light that shines within you, is so beautiful that others want to know what it is. They too want that light and they are willing to follow you in hopes that you will lead them to this beauty.
The Bride responds: “My lover has gone down into his garden of delight, the place where spices grow, to feast with those pure in heart. I know we shall find him there. He is within me-I am his garden of delight. I have him fully and now he fully has me!” verse 2-3
She knows Who she belongs to. She knows that she has become One with the groom, Jesus Christ. She knows He lives inside of her and she has become his Garden of Delight. This is you, my friend! Jesus looks at you and sees a beautiful garden; it brings him such delight!
The Groom responds: “you have ravished my heart, stealing away my strength to resist you.” verse 4
Have you ever considered that the heart of Jesus is completely ravished by you? Whoa! I looked up the word ravished and this is what I found: 1)” to fill with strong emotion, especially joy.” Did you know that when he is with you he is filled with many emotions, joy being the prominent one? He says you are “more pleasing than any pleasure, more delightful than any delight, you have ravished my heart…” verse 4
I’ve known that Jesus loves me, of course! But, the more I discover how completely in love he is with me, the more I love him! The more I pursue him, the more delighted he is. When the pain overtakes me, he is still there, ravished.
“For your undying devotion to me is the most yielded sacrifice. The shining of your spirit shows how you have taken my truth to become balanced and complete.” verse 5-6
The decision to follow Jesus, and to keep following Jesus no matter what is not always easy. He sees the sacrifice it takes, and he sees the way that sacrifice brings a certain shine to our lives. He turns our sacrifice of pain into joy; it’s his speciality. He moves within us, transforms us, and uses us to lead others to him. He grows us up into maturity with the fullness of him deep inside of us. He uses us to bring his glory to places where it is most needed. The deep longings within our hearts moves from the selfishness of this world to the glory of our King. Wow, what a story!
Today, I hope you are able to see the love he has for you, the sheer delight he has in you, and when you do, your life will never be the same.
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