Mature in Love 1️⃣:Take Him Out!

♥️

Song 7:10 RSV

I am my beloved's,

and his desire is for me.

♥️

When we first began this incredible journey through Song of Songs on the blog Let Him kiss me..., we had two main objectives. First was that by the end of it, we'd live like Christ loves us. Second (and most importantly) was that we'd live like we love Christ with all that we are. I believe the three-part series on "Secure in Love" served to expound on the first objective quite well. For the second goal, this is going to be the first in yet another three-part series called "Mature in Love". It is my hope and prayer that the end of all this will be a perfectly reciprocated love on our part. Let's get started!!

Oftentimes in today's society we love to find comfort in the knowledge that God loves us. We love to tell the worst of sinners that God loves them and all such beautiful things. There's nothing really wrong in this since it's actually true. Big question is, what should be the appropriate response of one who has come to the knowledge of God's love for them?

I'd like to believe that in human relationships, when a partner tells another that they love them, there usually an expectation that the love is mutual. If that is not the case, the one initiating love usually tries to give more, express their love in better ways, spend more time with the other...by all means they try to win the other partner over. If the partner on the receiving end remains stubborn and outrightly rejects the love so generously offered, it causes the loving one a great amount of pain, so much so that their heart bleeds. Sometimes the grief is so much that the passionate love turns to hate. Could it be the same with our dealings with God?

Thinking about it that way made me realize that it shouldn't just end at God loving us. Beyond that is a greater level, and that is when we reciprocate His love, and with confidence tell Him that we love Him too. So, now that you believe with all your heart that God's desire is for you, would you have the same confidence if we flipped the coin? Is your desire for Him?

It would be very unfortunate if all believers got carried away by that well-known notion ~ God loves me just as I am, and that is all that matters, and use it to validate their outrightly sinful lives. It is true that God loves you just as you are, dear Christian, but do you really believe that that is all there is to it?

The Shulamite gives us an idea of what reciprocating God's love should look like in this next set of verses. We'll endeavor to discuss this in detail in this particular blog and in two more. Here we go!!

🍂

Song 7:11-13 NKJV

Come, my beloved, 

Let us go forth to the field; 

Let us lodge in the villages.

Let us get up early to the vineyards; 

Let us see if the vine has budded, 

Whether the grape blossoms are open, 

And the pomegranates are in bloom. 

There I will give you my love.

The mandrakes give off a fragrance, 

And at our gates are pleasant fruits, 

All manner, new and old, 

Which I have laid up for you, my beloved.

🍂

The Shulamite does something completely out of the ordinary ~ she offers to take her lover out. Culture has it that it's the man who should give special treats to the lady, so it's quite unusual for a lady to ask a man out. I think that if the love is truly mutual, then both parties should give each other special treats at will. I believe that it's no different with God. He expresses His love to us in such beautiful ways. Question is, how often do we express our love to Him? 

The fact that this set of verses comes immediately after "I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me" tells you that this was the Shulamite's way of responding to the love showered upon her by her lover. She gives it back. Inviting him for that special retreat shows that she wanted them to enjoy intimate moments with one another (''there I will give you my love''). This was to be far away from all possible distractions (''let us go forth to the field; let us lodge in the villages'') so that they give each other their full attention. She had also prepared a very special deal just for him ~ the mandrakes and the pleasant fruits of all manner, new and old, which I have laid up for you, my beloved. 

It might look like she's outdoing herself, but it's all her way of giving back the love so generously offered. A few chapters before, perhaps during their courtship period, the lover had made such an invitation to the Shulamite. He really did the most in trying to win the Shulamite over. Check this: (Note that these are the words of the Shulamite. She's quoting her lover's words)

🌸

Song 2:10-13 NIV 

My lover spoke and said to me, 

"Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, 

and come with me.

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth; 

the season of singing has come, 

the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

The fig tree forms its early fruit; 

the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. 

Arise, come, my darling; 

my beautiful one, come with me."

🌸

Song 2:16 (My beloved is mine and I am his) insinuates that she accepted the invitation, and towards the end of chapter three (verses 6-11), it culminates in a glorious wedding procession. It's beautiful how the Shulamite grows in intimacy with her beloved. At first, she was being begged to go with him; now, she willingly invites him to a special date she'd prepared just for him. At this point, she is mature in love. The relationship is not merely one-sided. Rather, it is mutual. Their desires have also become one. She is not worried that the lover may reject the invitation. Instead, she knows that he longs for it just as much. 

Now, what does all this have to do with us? 

♣️ Growing in intimacy.

God desires that we grow in intimacy with Him. It's not fair that He has to bear the burden of making this relationship work. It's time we stop making this relationship a source of grief to His heart. It's time we too make a move. It's time we tell Him just how much we love Him, how deeply we cherish Him, that we truly delight in Him, and that He's all we want ~ that our desire is for Him. These expressions of love go a long way in birthing wholesome growth in God. 

Little children love receiving gifts and special treats from their parents. But, as they grow older, the focus is more on how they can in turn appreciate their parents for all their sacrifices in bringing them up. They look for ways to express their love and gratitude to their parents. It's no surprise to see them building their parents magnificent houses, buying them expensive cars, spending Christmas with them...it goes on and on. Of course, the parents are more than delighted to see that their 'little children' are finally mature enough to do such things for them. Even if it's in little ways depending on the financial status, it still serves the purpose.

God would want us too to grow from the level of being merely on the receiving end. It's time we give him special treats too, don't you think? It's time we ask Him, "What can I do for you?" It's time we love Him not merely with our words, but in deeds and in truth. Serving Him in various capacities would be a great start. Let's make this a mutual engagement, shall we?

♣️Get away with Him!

In a world where so many things demand our time and attention, it would be wise to set apart some time for retreats every once in a while. It gives the Lord so much joy when we lay aside our distractions and busy schedules just so we can make room for Him. It could be in a place somewhat special - far removed from the noisy and chaotic city life. There you can make a point of meeting Him and if possible, go on a fast. I think of fasts more like feasts ~ you literally get to dine with the King, sit at His feet and have Him pour out his heart to you. Prayer mountains are most ideal for this. (In case you want to know one, wewe dm tu 🙂).

Since this isn't limited to a specific physical location, you could also make a point of getting up early and spending time in "Eden" ~ in His Presence. Mornings are most ideal since the busyness of your schedule is yet to catch up with you. This shouldn't merely be an obligation. Rather, it is and should remain to be an expression of love ~ a way of telling Him, "I'm not here for anything else, but to express my love to You. I long to be with You. There's no place I'd rather be, than right here ~ in Eden ~ in Your Presence." Be out of tune with the world for a while, will you?

•

•

•

•

•

Let it be our prayer this day that amidst everything else that so desperately seeks our time and attention, we would prioritize Him above them all. He is not to be second - He is to be first in all things. If our desire is truly for Him, this shouldn't be a struggle. Let's flip that coin now, shall we?

♥️

My Beloved is not merely trivial

He is the One I love

He is the One I live for

He is the One I long for

He is the One I wait for.

He is my Beloved 

My desire is for Him.

♥️

•

•

•

•

•

Psalms 130:5-6 NIV

I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,

and in his word I put my hope.

I wait for the Lord,

more than watchmen wait for the morning,

more than watchmen wait for the morning.