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Song of Songs \u2013 October<\/p>\n

Remember Sonny and Cher crooning, \u201cI got you Babe?\u201d  It was a song everyone knew and now that iconic song is stuffed into every Valentine plush toy you can find. Then there is the \u201cStuck Like Glue\u201d song from Sugarland. Catchy and fun. Those songs were like mind worms we  sing over and over. I think the most classic one is \u201cI Will Always Love You\u201d written by Dolly Parton and performed by Whitney Houston in the Bodyguard. These songs evoke something in us that no other song can. My personal favorite has been Ring pop by Jax because of the lyrics but also the melody. These are secular songs about true love. Or at least a YouTube version of true love.<\/p>\n

The most supreme song of all songs is contained in the \u201cwisdom literature\u201d and Solomon had something to do with it, but it wasn\u2019t really about him because the words are not all in his voice. This book is meant to be a love story, a collection of poems that are to be read as a whole, not dissected scientifically. Love songs are not robotic mind melodies, they are passionate, timeless and meant to celebrate passion and tender moments.<\/p>\n

The poems go in order from the Beloved meeting his true love (the engagement), to marrying her and then life- happily ever after- the wedding. It is a progressive set of love poems. I read these a few times as a young Christian, while blushing. I could never fully see the allegorical side to them and thought I\u2019d better wait to study them until I was married. However, understanding  Gods\u2019 love and that He patiently waits for us to draw near \u2013 that message is extremely important. For Singles and married folks and teenagers. Christians and churches spend a lot of energy telling their folks to love and serve God but His message is come near, let me love YOU. If we truly understood this, our activities in ministry would reflect that. When we rest, delight in His presence, He fills up our love tanks and we walk through life squishing out the Gospel everywhere we go. Much easier.<\/p>\n

This book gave the early church much stress. It is not for the timid and certainly sounds foreign when read in a church setting. I\u2019ve known a few groups that tried to make it puritanical and allegorical and well it just went off the rails. Side note: No where are kids\/babies mentioned so views on marriage for procreation only must be rejected. The book is clear that delight and godly marriage is Gods\u2019 idea. We can glean a few things from it but there is really a caution here because many times this very book became a tool for the wicked to sexually abuse or manipulate others because of the focus on delight. <\/p>\n

So, why? Why would this very steamy book be allowed in the holy Canon of scripture?<\/p>\n

I think there are a couple of reasons. The Jewish people used it to instruct engaged and married couples. It is a song about one man and one woman in love. In today\u2019s world, they are a good example of being set apart for one another. In a world where anything goes, we see protection of one\u2019s heart, we hear admonitions not to stir love before its time and there is a call to fidelity, integrity, and a long-term relationship. It is perfect for teenagers to discuss \u2013 better in your living room than in their classroom or on the streets.<\/p>\n

Contrast that with songs from today. My favorite cringy one says, \u201cGirl, I feel some kinda way.\u201d That one just cracks me up. Shakespeare is probably rolling in his grave! No explanation of what kind of way or beautiful descriptions we typically see in older songs. I checked out the top Billboard list for last year and was shocked at how much things have changed. There are a few worth listening to, but the rest were soft porn at best, and most of the lyrics were just repeated words. Some of these newer record labels are going for \u201clikes\u201d instead of quality. Instead of being dedicated, faithful and true, love is often seen as tawdry or only for one’s personal satisfaction rather than giving sacrificially to one’s beloved spouse. My parents were married for over 50 years and showed me their example of love in so many different seasons. It matured and blossomed over time. This book is an “over time” example.<\/p>\n

Over Solomons life, there wasn\u2019t that continuity personally. As the Bible project<\/u> mentions, Solomon is an odd candidate to be talking about the Song of all songs. Sometimes bad examples teach us more than good ones.  Solomon had multiple wives, concubines and was not the most faithful of guys. Perhaps that is why<\/em> he has his name included.<\/p>\n

Maybe the \u201cwisdom\u201d of this book is that being a “player” is not wise, not honorable and does not produce the kind of love that God blesses. Multiple loves water down love and breaks hearts. \u201cJealousy is as cruel as the grave\u201d is a forewarning in this book. That’s a good word to hear! The consequences of people who are not true to their spouse or \u201cplay the field\u201d should make us wise in our relationships but sadly it often doesn\u2019t. Sexual encounters, with no covenant, do not produce happiness in the long run. The people I have met that have experienced these situations share that is a very lonely place and not worth it. The fall out hurts people exponentially. <\/p>\n

 Romance novels share the thrill of a new adventure but forget to include the broken homes and children. Truth in advertising writing would include babies with colic, cars without gas and huge alimony payments. They probably wouldn\u2019t sell, as the \u201cfantasy world\u201d people look for would certainly be dashed by the second chapter. We need to understand Gods\u2019 design for love and marriage. Intimacy Gods\u2019 way is incredible, holy, blessed. Seeking Gods\u2019 design for romance is a wise thing to seek.<\/p>\n

Long term success in love starts slow, guards, protects and grows naturally, then matures into love that is not self-seeking but selfless. We are given a picture of what true romance can look like in this book. Imagine pulling apart the petals of a rose. Eventually it will kill it. You can\u2019t force a flower to blossom before its time or it will be destroyed. Wisdom is being faithful, patient, and true. What a wonderful picture of love but also of Gods\u2019 love for us, His Bride.  We begin to see that God’s Banner of love flies over us. He is for us, not against us. We are His and He is ours \u2013 we are on the same team. We can identify with being drawn by love and captured by the One who died to show us His love.<\/p>\n

This month, we\u2019ve been listening to songs like, \u201cDraw me, Draw me Lord and I will run after You\u201d, and \u201cDraw me close to You, never let me go\u201d. While reading this book, we asked God to come nearer, to stir our hearts. We prayed we would not go after \u201clesser loves.\u201d<\/p>\n

After seeing an engaged couple and a brand new couple this week, I was inspired. They looked at each other and it was like sparklers on the Fourth of July. Their eyes danced and they were so observant of each other\u2019s facial expressions. They gushed with words of affirmation. It was beautiful to behold. They, and this book remind me that our love for Jesus must be current, fresh, selfless, and whole. No wonder the Jews read it annually and with their kids. Those tepid in heart, or lukewarm in spirit, will be convicted when reading Song of Songs. Love  must be renewed, refreshed and continual for it to go on. That\u2019s with our spouses and with God!<\/p>\n

We were having devotions on morning while I was studying this book and my husband read these verses from the book of Jude that seemed fitting:<\/p>\n

^{17 <\/sup>But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 <\/sup>They said to you, \u201cIn the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly (sensual) desires.\u201d 19 <\/sup>These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 <\/sup>But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 <\/sup>keep yourselves in God\u2019s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.<\/strong><\/p>\n}

You may \u201cfeel some kinda way\u201d tonight but why not take a few minutes and tell God specifically what <\/em>way, when and why? Why not describe to Him your love and ask Him to describe His love to you? Sit and soak with songs like\u201d The Steadfast Love of the Lord\u201d or \u201cI love You Lord.\u201d Let Him look deeply into your soul and sing songs of love over you. His desire is to bless you \u2013 to love you.  Let Him look for you and find you. The One in the Garden after the Resurrection is the same One that invites you closer right now. Your Beloved is waiting\u2026  earnestly, eagerly search for Him. Not even death could stop His love for you. Let nothing stop your love for Him. He\u2019s waiting\u2026.<\/p>\n

RenaeRoche2024<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Song of Songs \u2013 October Remember Sonny and Cher crooning, \u201cI got you Babe?\u201d  It was a song everyone knew and now that iconic song is stuffed into every Valentine plush toy you can find. Then there is the \u201cStuck Like Glue\u201d song from Sugarland. Catchy and fun. Those songs were like mind […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"bgseo_title":"","bgseo_description":"","bgseo_robots_index":"index","bgseo_robots_follow":"follow","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1472"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1472"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1476,"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1472\/revisions\/1476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeplateadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}