Today's Reading:

Song of Songs 5:2-16
Song of Songs 6
Song of Songs 7
Song of Songs 8
Psalm 45

You finished your 13th book of the Bible!

In the book Song of Songs, the husband and wife reconciled. The moral was not to let small selfish moments create distance within a relationship, such as in the phrase, “I don’t feel like it.” Love requires responsiveness. God’s love is patient, personal, and faithful. The covenant is central. He pursues us to bring joy, as He longs for a relationship with us.

This could reflect the bride being the Church and believers and the beloved as Christ. Christians become complacent and spiritually sluggish. God’s gentle knock at the door, and a person’s unresponsive nature and blasé attitude bring about a feeling of absence; only to seek Him again. Relationships mature over time and there are adoring times, but it takes strength to keep them going. The man praised her beauty and renewed adoration. Just like Christ praises us each time we turn back to Him.

Take a moment to think about this:

• In your marriage (or closest relationship), what are the small, everyday ways “I don’t feel like it” creates distance?
• In your walk with Christ, where have you become complacent or unresponsive to His gentle pursuit?

This week, how can you choose to be responsive, both to your spouse and to the Lord, instead of complacent? What is one step you can take to renew affection, rekindle closeness, and respond to the One who pursues you with patient, faithful love?

At the end of reading chapters 3 and 4 of the Song of Songs the other day, the man and woman had just been married (wedding and consummation). Now, the song started with, “I slept, but my heart was awake…” (5:2). The woman is likely having a dream feeling anxious or guilty. The husband had come late (head and hair wet with dew) and knocked at her door looking for intimacy. The woman gave two excuses; she had just taken off her robe and just washed her feet. By the time she reconsidered, he was gone. This mirrors real marriage tension: one is willing and the other is comfortable or sleepy, like moments of feeling blah- complacency, selfishness, or taking each other for granted.

The dream ended, and the “friends” asked why he was so special anyway. The rest of chapter 5, the woman praised and bragged to them about her husband showing how much she loves him. The husband then described her beauty with renewed adoration. They had unity and public joy. He talked of his sensual desires for her. The woman then initiated and planned for intimacy offering herself to him. This time, she wished for him to be like “a brother,” so they could publicly show affection without shame. There was a desire to have open closeness and intimate embraces.

Verse 8:4 repeated for a third time. They are finally together again, leaning on each other in dependence. Scripture described it as, a “Seal over your heart,” like a signet ring where love is powerful and exclusive. This was jealousy in a good way where it was more valuable than money. A “mighty flame” that was fanned by the Lord.

The nature of true love. Her brothers were guardians and showed concern for her future and virtue as protectors of her virginity. In ancient times, the family was responsible for keeping the woman pure and ready for marriage. She maintained her purity and now had secure intimacy because she kept herself for him. Come quickly and enjoy freely.

Psalm 45
This was a royal wedding song, like a love poem celebrating marriage. It was addressed to the king by his bride. Like Christ and His bride (the Church), it was a praise for a great occasion. Scripture described him as handsome and divinely favored. In the beginning the psalmist’s heart overflowed with a “good word” about the king. Righteous and just, not for times of war, but for moral purposes. The king was addressed as God in verse 6, which is why the New Testament looks to this psalm as speaking of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:8-9). Because of his moral character (righteousness), God anointed him with the oil of joy giving a picture of the Holy Spirit and divine blessing (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18). This was another picture of Jesus as the Messiah. The psalm switched to the bride, and she was told to leave her old life and be loyal to the king her new husband, which mirrors the Church leaving the world to be devoted to Christ.

Today's Discussion question: 

Click here to link to our Facebook group for discussion, questions, and additional content.