Scripture Text: Song of Solomon 4:8-11
You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;
you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes,
with one jewel of your necklace.
Song of Solomon 4:9
In the difficulty of the Christian life, it is always good to remind ourselves with the truth that we know as our reality because of the Beloved [Christ]. Whatever others (or we ourselves) think of the Bride of Christ [Church], she is amiable and beautiful in His eyes because of the comeliness of grace which He has put upon her. All the beauty of saints is derived from Him. This is the believer’s reality and blessedness because of the Beloved [Christ] Himself has set His affection to the poor, vile and unworthy sinner – us. Christians are saved by grace, sustained by grace, and sanctified by grace! This how the Lover-Redeemer displays His heart towards the bride [Church] – But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
In the call of trusting or believing in what God Himself has said which is the reality of those who are in the Beloved [Christ], the faith that transcends the physical realm is directly anchored in the very person of God, fully revealed in His Son! He is the LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. His character must overcome our doubting state because of our inconsistent love, passion and commitment to Him, and His love must strengthen the confidence that we have towards Him who has loved us unconditionally! For we know that, there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. With every word of adornment from Solomon, it reflects how Christ the Beloved exults and rejoices in adoring the maiden [Church] and this must build our hearts!
vv.8-11 – shows the continuation of how the Beloved [Christ] admires deeply in His heart the beauty of the maiden [Church] – God can see the inward and outward, yet He exults and rejoices in adoring you as He sees His Son in you, or as He accepts your oneness with Christ – son or daughter of God.
vv.8-9 – the maiden [Church] here is first time mentioned as “my bride”, to show the permanency of her standing before the Beloved [Christ], and how she has become the center of delight and enjoyment to the very heart of the Beloved [Christ] - You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride. Such confidence must it produce to its recipient! To be loved not because of what one can do or ever accomplish!
v.10 – the Beloved [Christ] echoes the words of the maiden [Church] in 1:2, to convey how Christ views and values the far excellent love of the bride [Church], that wine symbolizes joy, pleasure, and celebration - How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine. Yes, dear saint! Savor these words, as it teaches your heart that the Lover-Redeemer rejoices, delights, celebrates what our little hands can do for Him! He sees it as the state of perfection!
To be loved by the Beloved [Christ] indeed is the highest blessedness. Not only that, it is also the first step to holiness, and the only way to glory. And this is the reason why we must never stop acclaiming with the psalmist that the Lover-Redeemer’s heart is the loveliest place to be. We say therefore to our hearts, because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
The real believer’s heart is awakened 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!
He who does not want know more of Him, knows nothing of Him yet…
Hear this then, dear saint! Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
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. How does the love of Christ affect your life?
2. Do you take confidence in Christ’s all-satisfying and all-encompassing love?
3. Do you desire and long to love Him more, as you ought to be?
Remember
Let it never be forgotten that Jesus Christ is the love song of God. He is the love of God manifested in us. And in Him, we have received the worth and state that we don’t deserve – to be in the center of the heart of the Beloved, our blessedness.
Read
Micah 7:18; Isaiah 62:3-5; Jeremiah 32:37-41; Zephaniah 3:17
Pray
Father in heaven, I come before You in humility and in need. Father, make my heart full of Your Son and less of myself, that I may take confidence in Your faithfulness in my Lord Jesus Christ. In the richness of Your grace in Your Son, please make my heart find satisfaction in Him alone, that I may see all things that draws me away from Him as rubbish and worthless. Make my dimmed vision of Him be full, that I may see my blessedness in Him alone, and that I may see that I am already dwelling in the loveliest place to be—at the very center of Your heart. This I pray, in the Name of Your Son, my Lover-Redeemer. Amen.
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