Scripture Text: Song of Solomon 1:7
Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
where you pasture your flock,
where you make it lie down at noon;
for why should I be like one who veils herself
beside the flocks of your companions?
Song of Solomon 1:7
Augustine of Hippo once said “my love is my gravity”, by which he meant that his desire draws him forth and reveals who is really is. What you love—your desire, your heart’s longing, your treasure—is your ultimate concern and what you secretly worship and adore. As a person who has beheld some portion of the degree of God’s love in Christ, what is it that you truly desire now? What do you currently value and love the most? Has it always been His love, blessings, graces, glory—Him? Has it always been your new experience of His heart towards you?
A true loving soul, then, wants present communion with Christ! Not just a past experience of His communion with you, nor a future communion with Him. It is where we truly know that His love is better than life itself! It is where we clearly see and pursue the ultimate! Not a litany of requests, not being double minded. It is where we truly realize and understand that what is most important is to have a seeking heart, or rather, a heart that seeks which is most important—to be in His beautiful heart. It is also the same with seeking the pearl of the great price—learning to leave everything behind to gain what is the ultimate.
Then there goes the beginning of our unity with the maiden, the begging the question to be answered “Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock, where you make it lie down at noon (v.7a);” The picture is clear: she wanted to know where her beloved was, because she simply wanted to be with him. Do we simply want to be with Jesus, not just for any other reason? It goes on with the maiden “for why should I be like one who veils herself beside the flocks of your companions (v.7b)?” Here the maiden proclaims her modesty, because in that culture, a veiled woman was a woman of low sexual morals. She didn’t want to make herself look like a loose girl following the flocks looking for any lover; therefore, she wanted to know where her beloved was. She didn’t want a man; she wanted her man, her special man, her beloved.
Let us be very careful then with the deceitfulness of the heart! For we might be desiring another version of Jesus Christ, not the biblical Christ! Not the Christ who has been described in the sacred writings. It might be our own version of Christ or should we say our own idols! It goes on to say as well that we should be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD our God! Take heed of this warning, dear saint!
What we desire changes us; it affects us deeply; it takes us on a journey and ultimately manifests who we are. The more we love God, the godlier we will become. The more we love pleasures and worldly matters, the vainer and emptier we will become.
Therefore, Christ must be valued as ultimate, otherwise He is not valued at all! He must be sought as if we cannot not live without Him! Our cry is “I must have Christ or else I die!” We must find our satisfaction and rest in His heart—His love for us! If His heart is not appealing to us, then we have not yet really seen His beautiful heart.
The real believer’s heart is awaken to perceive the wonders of God in the person of our Lover-Redeemer, Jesus Christ! From there, we learn to enthusiastically acclaim, oh taste and see that the LORD is good!
Hear this then, dear saint: but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love.
Desire communion with Him, who has loved us eternally! Thirst and long for Him! Be in awe of Him, the darling of Heaven! He is all yours… He is all-perfect, all-holy, all-glorious and all-happy! Be exceedingly joyous in being His beloved. If you have truly seen Him, then He is your exceeding joy.
Nobody loves you like He does…
Christ is all that we have! Christ is all that we need!
Take heart, dear saint!
Reflect
1. Do you seek Christ constantly?
2. Do you find delight in beholding Him to another degree?
3. Do you desire and long to love Him more, as you ought to be?
Remember
We have been given a new heart to seek for a higher communion with God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to behold the wonders of His great and infinite love. You are His’, and He is yours!
Read
Isaiah 55:1-7; Jeremiah 29:11-13; John 14:18-27
Pray
Father, we come to You in the name of Your Son, in prayer, to humbly ask for a renewed heart that seeks Him—Your Son alone, that we may find enjoyment, delight, satisfaction, and completeness in Him, that our hearts will not wander away from Him. Please set our eyes and affections to where it truly belongs. Please incline our hearts toward Him, that we may come closer and closer to Him, that we may know Him and love Him more, for He is our greatest treasure. This we pray, in His name. Amen!
Comments