August 21, 2015: Song of Solomon 2:8-13

Song of Solomon 2:8-13
The voice of my beloved!
    Look, he comes,
leaping upon the mountains,
    bounding over the hills.
My beloved is like a gazelle
    or a young stag.
Look, there he stands
    behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows,
    looking through the lattice.
My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my fair one,
    and come away;
for now the winter is past,
    the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
    the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
    is heard in our land.
 The fig tree puts forth its figs,
    and the vines are in blossom;
    they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
    and come away.

Reflection
Think of the most epic love story you’re ever read/seen. Yes – the Notebook was pretty good. Romeo and Juliet is a classic. When Harry Met Sally is a cute 80’s romance-flick. However, all of these pale in comparison to the love that God has for us. This scripture from Song of Solomon paints a poetic picture of God’s love for humanity. The poem describes a God who pursues us with a love that brings life. The flowers are blooming. The snow has melted away. Birds are singing and the trees are bearing fruit.

When we experience the ever pursuing grace and love of God we thrive. We are invigorated with new life. When we hear the voice of God, we can’t help but find our true identity. We are the beloved of Christ. He says to us, “I love you. I have redeemed you. Don’t be afraid. The old has gone away and the new things have come. I have come to renew you, just as spring blooms from winter chill, because you are mine.”

Questions
Morning: God loves you today, right now, in this moment. You are defined by love. How does being defined by love affect how you will live and interact with the world today?

Afternoon: Read the scripture again. How does this kind of love relate to hope?

Evening: Tell someone close to you how much you love them. Does love change a person or a relationship? How?