SCRIPTURE: Song of Solomon 6
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number; but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her. [Song of Solomon 6:8-9]
There are many beautiful people, and many definitions of beauty, but love narrows the focus, zeroing in on the one special one.
A person may have multiple mistresses and maidens (or the male equivalent), but they will not have intimate love, for intimate love delights in the uniqueness of the one.
There is a special blessing in being loved with intimate, covenant love, when someone binds themselves to you in an exclusive, lifelong bond of love.
This is the key to a healthy, holy and happy marriage.
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me– holy is his name. [Luke 1:46-49]
Mary experiences the blessing of being uniquely chosen above all others.
This is not an example of romantic, intimate love, but it is an example of when someone (God) picks one person for a special purpose and blessing.
God does not choose the most beautiful, the most popular, the most revered… He sets His sights on one humble girl, a nobody from Nazareth?
And she is called blessed.
There is a sense where each one of us is a unique child of God, uniquely loved and called for a special purpose.
I am not you, and you are not me; there are people a plenty, the world is filled with people, but I am the only me, and God loves me as me.
In fact, if each person had eyes to see it, they could say with Mary, ‘all generations can call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me.’
No, not the same things as Mary, but things that are great for me, things that are unique to me.
Whereas we are able to have only one intimate marriage partner, God is able to love each one uniquely and fully, faithful to all and each one.
God uses the example of marriage in Ephesians 5 to remind us of how we are to love, but also of how He loves us.
Can we see each person as uniquely loved and graced by God, with a special blessing and purpose.
Can we call each person blessed, because of the great things God is doing in their lives?
Even if they cannot see it themselves, our task is to help them see it, to remind them that they are uniquely loved as well.
PRAYER:
Lord, my special love for my wife is an illustration of Your special love for me, only Your love is more perfect. Help me to love more like You!
The love story continues. For the relationship to continue and/or grow, it takes work. To know a person is to love a person and she knows where her love is. The friends are Son seekers and they too will find Him if they but seek Him. To know is to love is to do. These three belong together. To be Son seekers is the doing.
The Creation is His garden and He walks in it each day as He did in the beginning. The people are the flowers/plants in that garden and He gathers His own. He enjoys walking in that garden and He continues to tend that ‘garden.’ He is the Gardener, taking care of that garden, making sure that it blooms.
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Refrain
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
Refrain
I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.