Scripture Text: Song of Solomon 5:2-6
I opened to my beloved,
but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he spoke.
I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.
Song of Solomon 5:6
The immensity of neglecting the Beloved’s [Christ] desire for intimacy with us is not very obvious at first due to our immaturities and inconsistencies. In light of this truth, we are dimmed in vision of the distress that overwhelms us because of the neglect of Him, who has lovingly and graciously redeemed us to be His own. Rejection of Him appears in various ways that most of it, we are unaware. As the Beloved [Christ] consistently seeks to offer the celebration of our renewed life in Him, enjoying His grace in every way, there is a constant failure of apprehending this magnificent actuality. To possess a divided heart for the Lover-Redeemer is to be in the reality of waging war against the sin that hinders us from enjoying our fellowship with the God who has loved us with an everlasting love. But our immaturities, inconsistencies and fractionation are our great warning to the distress that we are about to have in dismissing often the One who has loved us eternally.
In this passage, we have here a very melancholic scene, and it is a sad story that the maiden [Church] talks about her own folly and inappropriate conduct towards her Beloved’s [Christ] reaching love for her: “I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them? My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me. I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. (vv.2-5).” Here we see that the maiden [Church] neglects her duty to give her all to her Beloved [Christ] for the reason of being complacent. She gives her different excuses that gives a vivid picture of our reasons to ignore the call of Christ:
She knew the voice of her Beloved but did not want to concern herself of His intentions of intimacy with her, and did not have in her heart to open for Him (v.2)
She was undressed, and would not want to be at the hassle of dressing herself again for Him (v.3a)
She had washed her feet, and would not pain herself in washing it again (v.3b)
She was very disinterested in opening the door for Him that’s why she acted very late (vv.4-5)
Irrational excuses are a language of a prevailing divided heart for the Beloved [Christ]. It is the product of inconsistent love for Him, a low and degraded view of the Lover-Redeemer’s affection towards us. Christ calls us to love Him and serve Him, but we pretend we have no mind, or we have no strength, or we have no time. And in light of this paradigm, we experience losing the joy of fellowship that He offers to us: “I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer (v.6).”
The call is simple, never neglect what is due to Him, who is worthy of everything! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength! Let us keep in mind that with our littleness, we ought to give to Him everything that He truly deserves! I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Know this always that our new life is from Him! And we must give it to Him and put it completely at His disposal! For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
So therefore, seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near! Be of good courage, dear saint! The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. And when indolence is on the way, acclaim this with the psalmist: But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
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! But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
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. Are you too lazy to spend quality time with God in studying His words and in prayer?
2. Do you take lightly the desire of Christ to be intimate with you?
3. Do you desire and long to love Him more, as you ought to be?
Remember
Once we refuse to live our lives in intimacy with Christ, everything in Christian life becomes bitter and dull. There will be no enjoyment of the grace that satisfies the weary soul, the mercy that ignites the troubled heart, and the love that makes everything anew. Dwell therefore, in the very heart of the loveliest Being – the Beloved [Christ]!
Read
Psalm 63:1-8; Psalm 84:1-5
Pray
Father in heaven, I come before You as Your child, to humbly, admittedly, and desperately ask of You one thing – that I may possess an undivided heart for Your Son, that I may have a greater view of His unsearchable love, that my passion for Him might be drawn out, and that I may see myself wanting more and more of His beauties and excellencies. Please forgive me for taking lightly of Your love displayed in Him. And may His glorious work replace my inconsistencies and immaturities towards my relationship with You. This I pray, in the Name of Your Son, my Messiah. Amen.
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