 I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,
I gathered my myrrh with my spice, I ate my honeycomb with my honey, I drank my wine with my milk. Others Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love! The Bride Searches for Her Beloved She 2 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.” 3 I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them? 4 My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me. 5 I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. 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. 7 The watchmen found me as they went about in the city; they beat me, they bruised me, they took away my veil, those watchmen of the walls. 8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love. Others 9 What is your beloved more than another beloved, O most beautiful among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us? The Bride Praises Her Beloved She 10 My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. 11 His head is the finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. 12 His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, bathed in milk, sitting beside a full pool. 13 His cheeks are like beds of spices, mounds of sweet-smelling herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping liquid myrrh. 14 His arms are rods of gold, set with jewels. His body is polished ivory, bedecked with sapphires. 15 His legs are alabaster columns, set on bases of gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. 16 His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Meditation Love awakens the heart to long for intimacy. Christians are marked with longing for intimate union with Christ, excitedly anticipating His return. Christians “eagerly wait for” Christ to return (Philippians 3:20), keeping ourselves in the love of God until Christ comes again (Jude 1:21). We groan with creation (Romans 8:23) looking for “the coming day of God” when Jesus will usher in the New Heavens and the New Earth for His people to dwell with Him in righteousness (2 Peter 3:12-13). Today’s poem centers on the newlywed bride longing for reunion with her lover, a poetic portrayal pointing to God’s people eagerly looking for the return of our Bride Groom. The woman describes her anticipation, her “heart awake” with love and “thrilled” within her. The bride describes her beloved, her friend (10-16). Love deepens longing, excited anticipation of seeing our Groom again. Christians know Christ and are fully know by Christ through personal relationship with Him. Jesus is alive! And by His Spirit our hearts are awake within us, thrilled by His love. Our time with Christ is rich and intimate and should lead to longing to see Christ’s physical return. Christ has come. Christ will come again! Our Beloved and our friend will return as Lord once again. Christian, allow God’s love to deepen your longing to see His return. Richly Dwelling -Do you long for Christ’s second coming? Why or why not? -The woman enlists help looking for her beloved and describes him intimately. Love overflows the heart. Have you shared with others your desire and description of your Bride Groom? If not, what holds you back? -Jesus is our Bride Groom and He promises to return. Take a moment to sit in the love of God, saturating your heart in His grace and asking His Spirit to deepen your desire to see Christ face to face. Key Verse 8 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, that you tell him I am sick with love. Comments are closed.
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