5 "Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning upon her beloved?"
(The Shulammite Bride)
"Under the apple tree I awakened you [to my love];
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.
6 "Put me like a seal on your heart,
Like a seal on your arm;
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe and cruel as Sheol (the place of the dead).
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
[A most vehement flame] the very flame of the LORD!
7 "Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can rivers drown it.
If a man would offer all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly scorned and despised."—Song of Solomon 8:5-7
As I read these verses, I see beautiful pictures of earthly marriage. However, Jesus, who is my Beloved, overshadows the earthly and brings the eternal front and center in my heart.
My Maker is my husband. The eternal God is my refuge and underneath me are His everlasting arms. As I walk through the untamed and unrelenting wilderness of life, I lean on Him. He has given me the shield of salvation, and His right hand upholds me as I walk. He says to me, His beloved:
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.—Isaiah 41:9b-10
God has set His seal of love in my heart by giving me His Holy Spirit as a pledge. His Spirit now dwells in me and is always with me. NOTHING can separate me from His love...not even death. His love is stronger than death, for He conquered death so I could some day dwell with Him forever. My God is faithful, and His promises to me will not be broken. His love toward me is unyielding.
My Jesus’ love is also invincible and unquenchable. When trials and troubles assail me, He is for me saying:
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;—Isaiah 43:1b-3
My God’s love to me is a priceless gift. It cannot be bought for any sum because His love is freely given. All I need do is accept it. I am my Beloved and my Beloved is mine.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails.—1 Corinthians 13:1-8
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.—Romans 13:8-10
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