Friday, April 3rd, 2009

Friday, April 3rd, 2009

Song of Solomon 1:2b
For your love is better than wine; your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you.

In my opinion, the book of Songs is a dialogue to show the beauty and love that should be in a marriage, as a marriage is a representation of the relationship between Christ and His church. Since marriage is such a representation, it is important for Christians to have marriages that sing, and men and women who are deeply in love with one another in this institution of God.

So much so that a marriage portrays the love between Christ and His church is how much a marriage is accurately and faithfully fulfilled. Thus, it is a critical thing when reading this book to see this as a way to have a better marriage to have an accurate picture of Christ and His relationship to the church. Thus, a marriage either tells truth about this relationship or it lies.

Without this book, we would not know how a true marriage would look, and thus would not be able to see the true picture of how Christ loves His church, and how the church should love Christ.

Now then, in contemplating the love that Christ has towards me, this love is infinitely deep, high, wide and long. This love, when contemplated, cannot be measured. It is truly infinite. When I think of the tender loving care that Jesus Christ not only has done for me, but continually displays towards me, it makes me full of joy.

Just like wine, when drunk, brings joy and gladness of heart, so the love of Christ when considered and drunk in brings joy and gladness of heart. However, so much more wonderful and beautiful is the love of Christ than wine, that it is beyond comparison.

Just like anointing oils, perhaps in the middle-eastern culture, were for refreshing and removed the smells of animals, body odor, and other things, so is the refreshing that Christ brings to me. When I walk with Him, and live for Him, and am consumed by Him, I am refreshed. When I spend time with Him in prayer, and meditation, my Spirit is uplifted and refreshed, my body is invigorated, and my mind is renewed. Thus, just thinking upon the name of Jesus Christ, thoughts and pictures of wonder and splendor, glory and majesty, and power and authority come rushing in. How wonderful is the contemplation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, these are the reasons why I love Jesus Christ, because He first loved me. Because His love for me is wonderful and amazing. Because He is my Savior and my King and my Lover.

Oh, my soul, may all my thoughts today be consumed by the great love that Christ has towards me. May His love towards me, push me to love Him more. May I be ravished with His love today.

See, from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down; did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small: Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.[1]

[1]Osbeck, Kenneth W.: Amazing Grace : 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Kregel Publications, 1990, S. 106