I am certainly no expert on the topic of relationships, let alone what a Christian relationship looks like, and recently I’ve been encouraged to seek and understand what it could be and should be! So as our awesome God does, I was reading my devotion this morning and was led to Song of Solomon. Not going to lie… I don’t think I’ve ever sat down and read that book before. Little did I know, this book is all about the love between a bridegroom (King Solomon) and his bride and defines the sanctity of marriage. It also talks about the emulation of God’s love within marriage. My initial reaction was… how have I not discovered this, until now? My next thought after reading it was, WOW! These are some things I discovered. LOVE IS LOVE I love my friends, my family and yes, even my kids at school. Love is an emotional connection you create with someone. It’s a gift from God and we are given the freedom to offer that gift to others (through Christ’s example.) Romantic love is different. Romantic love leads to marriage and marriage is a COMPLETE union of mind, heart and body between two people. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. ~ Song of Solomon 6:3 From my perspective, this is not about ownership and rather about the invasive connection, acceptance and unity of man and wife! LOVE IS REFRESHING Aaaaah! So refreshing… What smells, sensations, tastes and sounds are refreshing to you? For me, it’s the fragrance of lilacs, a splash of water on my face, being in nature and a good cup of coffee! King Solomon describes his beloved as a private garden. This is a gift to him. Inside this garden are flowers, spices, fruit, aloes and a fountain with running water. Through these gifts he is given sweetness, alertness, substance, healing and freshness. For him, if the garden dies and the fountain dries up, his marriage feels depleted. Here is where we see the mutual balance of give and receive… if King Solomon offers his time and energy (and love) to tend to his private garden (encouraging words, a little note, a listening ear, a change of pace, a surprise… see where I’m going ;) then in return, he will feel refreshed and filled with good things. LOVE LIKE CHRIST Seal me in your heart with permanent betrothal, for love is as strong as death. ~ Song of Solomon 8:6 For real? Many waters cannot quench the flame of love, neither can the floods drown it. If a man tried to buy it with everything he owned, he couldn’t do it. ~ Song of Solomon 8:7 Are you sure? Yes and yes. Nothing can destroy love – it will not die, it cannot be put out, it is priceless… … IF we offer it as Christ has given it to us. If it is given outside of Christ’s guidelines for us, then it may die. Altogether, it sounds like love can be a very complicated topic. Or at least I used to think it was. But it’s actually very simple. Love like Christ. So as long as there is love (paired with a physical attraction), marriage can and will last. Love is an untouchable gift from God… it’s the foundation of our existence. Why? …Because he first loved us ~ 1 John 4:19
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