Mature in Love 2️⃣: "Let us..."

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Song 7:11-12a 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. 

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Having learnt poetry in high school, it's hard not to notice the parallelism in the above text (assuming y'all remember the stylistic devices very well 👀🙂). Parallelism is basically a special kind of repetition. I believe it's no coincidence that so much emphasis is given to that phrase "Let us". It shows the oneness of desire between these two lovers. They've become one with each other to the point that her desire is his, just as his desire is hers. Previously I'd mentioned that the Shulamite was not worried that her lover might reject her invitation. She knew that he longed for it just as much.

Since we laid a pretty good foundation previously on Take Him Out!, we'll dive right into what this spells out for us in our relationship with God. God wants us to mature in love to the point that even our desires are in alignment with His. Think about what you pray about: is it merely about your own selfish interests and worldly desires? Do you care to know what He'd want you to pray about? From the above text I got to learn about the two major ways God wants us to partner with Him. Let's break it down, shall we? 🥳😊

♣️ Nurturing 'Eden'

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Genesis 2.8 ,15 NKJV

The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, 

and there He put the man whom He had formed.

Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 

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At first, I hadn't given much thought to the poetic description of the Shulamite about these vineyards, vines, grape blossoms, pomegranates and mandrakes. After a while though, it kind of takes me back to Eden, the garden that God Himself planted for the man He created. Not much description is given about it...what we're sure of is that it had fruit trees of every kind and was well watered by those four rivers that flowed from it. 

Whether Eden was a physical or a spiritual entity, I do not know. What is clear is that it was an embodiment of the presence of God ~ God literally visited Adam and Eve in the cool of the day so He could fellowship with them in that garden. When Adam and Eve were banished from the garden, it's more like man was banished from the presence of God. Man was to co-work with God in tending and keeping that garden while he was still in it...so it's almost like even that mandate was lost after the fall. 

Think of the Shulamite as the fallen man (you and I) and of God as the lover, then follow closely. Notice that before our key text (Song 7:11-12a), the lover was the only one who cared for and tended the plants in this garden they're going to spend time in. Check this:

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Song 6:2 NIV (the Shulamite speaking)

My beloved has gone down to his garden,

to the beds of spices,

to browse in the gardens

and to gather lilies.

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Song 6:11 NIV (the lover speaking )

I went down to the grove of nut trees

to look at the new growth in the valley

to see if the vines had budded

or the pomegranates were in bloom.

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You realize that this garden actually belonged to the lover. He cultivated it with such tender care and passion, and it's almost like it was his favorite thing to do and his favorite place to be. The Shulamite did not follow him on such errands before ~ tending gardens wasn't exactly her thing. Like we mentioned earlier, maturity in love can be portrayed by oneness of desire ~ not necessarily that our desires become God's (our desires are evil and our hearts wicked); but that His desires become our own.  The Shulamite's sudden interest in her lover's garden wasn't just random. It showed that truly her love was becoming perfected. It was no longer about what mattered to her ~ his interests mattered more.

I'd like to believe that both gardens (Eden and the one in Canticles) accurately embody "the presence of God" ~ a place of intimacy and fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit. The Shulamite chose that garden to be the place they would go for their retreat so they could enjoy intimacy (in a romantic sense) with one another. Previously when her lover had gone missing in Song 5, it was in this same garden that she found him (Song 6:2). 

Now, if all these gardens are truly an embodiment of 'the secret place', it's time we go back to our own lives and partner with the Holy Spirit in nurturing that garden. It's time we cultivate the presence of God in our lives till we become "walking Edens". In Genesis, Eden is more like a geographic location. In the new dispensation we're in, Eden is right in our hearts ~ the trinity literally makes our hearts their home ~ their special dwelling place (John 14:23). It's not in vain that God calls us 'the temple of the Holy Spirit'. It literally means that you and I house the presence of God ~ Eden is right here within us. 

In essence, we are to pray for the grace to partner with the Holy Spirit in nurturing this "garden". The way to do this is to abide in His presence. The more we are in His presence, the more we too embody His tangible presence and manifest His life to all those around us. The apostles of the early church walked in such a dimension. They were literal embodiments of Eden to the point that Peter's shadow alone was enough to heal the sick (Acts 5:15). It's time we too invest as much as we can in the secret place. Shall we?

♣️Saying 'Yes!' to the call 🥳

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Luke 10:2 NKJV

Then He said to them,

"The harvest truly is great,

but the laborers are few;

therefore pray the Lord of the harvest

to send out laborers into His harvest..."

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1Corinthians 3:9 AMP

For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God 's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God 's building. 

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Throughout the New Testament, especially in a number of Jesus' parables, we see God's urgent need for people to co-work with Him in His vineyard (or harvest field). There's a lot of work to be done, yet those willing to labor doing God's business are so few. It's surprising that in terms of numbers, there are over two billion Christians in the world. Why then are the said laborers few?

Remember that notion we talked about previously...that "God loves me just as I am, and that is all that matters."? This has been a hindrance to maturity and wholesome growth in God throughout the body of believers. We are meant to grow and upbuild ourselves in love. We are meant to be so mature and perfected in love that we ask God, "What can I do for you?" We are meant to be so in love with Him that His business becomes our business; His desires, our desires; His will, our will. Just like the Shulamite made a point of going to tend her lover's garden together with him, it's time we too desire to be about our Lord's business. 

Partnering with God in this manner entails a lot. The beautiful thing is that God usually commissions each of His laborers in a specific way, and in a specific field. We might all be co-laborers with God but in very unique and distinct ways. He equips each of us differently for works of service unto Him, so one cannot work in another man's field, neither can one become a laborer that they were not mandated to become. Here's a portion of Scripture that summarizes it all so well. 😊

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Ephesians 4:11 - 16 NIV

It was he who gave some to be apostles, 

some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, 

and some to be pastors and teachers,

to prepare God's people for works of service, 

so that the body of Christ may be built up

until we all reach unity in the faith 

and in the knowledge of the Son of God 

and become mature, 

attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, 

tossed back and forth by the waves, 

and blown here and there by every wind of teaching 

and by the cunning and craftiness of men 

in their deceitful scheming.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

From him the whole body, 

joined and held together by every supporting ligament, 

grows and builds itself up in love, 

as each part does its work.

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You don't want to be a spiritual infant forever, do you? Such cannot receive so high a mandate. This love we talk about so passionately isn't just supposed to make us feel good about ourselves. Rather, it's meant to help us grow and upbuild ourselves in Christ, till we attain to that whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Let it be our hearts desire to become mature in love. 

I'm not asking us to go and plant churches everywhere (don't misquote me 🙂). All I'm asking is for us to allow ourselves grow in our love for God. Once we're mature in love, somehow we'll find that desire in our hearts ~ a deep longing to be about our Father's business. It will come naturally. Once He reveals to you what He exactly He wants you to do in His vineyard, set out and do it with all that you are. Serve Him wholeheartedly in whatever way He asks you to. Whether it's a seemingly huge task (i.e. apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers), or a seemingly mundane one (i.e. joining a department/ministry at your local church), do it with all your heart. Be a faithful steward over what He entrusts you with. None is greater than the other. Each part has a specific role to play. Check this: 😊

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Romans 12:4-8 NIV 

Just as each of us has one body with many members, 

and these members do not all have the same function,

so in Christ we who are many form one body, 

and each member belongs to all the others.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. 

If a man's gift is prophesying, 

let him use it in proportion to his faith.

If it is serving, let him serve; 

if it is teaching, let him teach;

if it is encouraging, let him encourage; 

if it is contributing to the needs of others, 

let him give generously; 

if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; 

if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

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When we stick to our field (the specific ministry in which God has called us to serve), the grace of God abounds and helps us flourish in that particular area. We're not to try and work in another's man's field or regard our fields as "less than" compared to all others. Doing so would deny us the grace that would help us carry out our mandate. Let no one despise what the Lord calls good - not even you. No matter how small or insignificant your field may be compared to others, know that it is important because it matters to God. 

Now, have you partnered with God in this manner? Do you desire to be about your Father's business? Are you willing to go where He sends you? 

Remember, this isn't exactly a command. It's an invitation to work with Him. It all depends on your willingness. Even now the heavens are asking: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? It's time to partner with God in whatever little way you can, and in so doing cause His kingdom to come, and His will to be done, right here on earth as it is in heaven. My prayer is that soon enough, we all will join in this noble task and tell Him, "Here I am Lord! Send me."