July 22: Song of Songs 3:1-4
Key Verse: Song of Songs 3:1
All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.
Devotion:
I love this section of passage as it talks about the perceived view of real love, not the basic intimacy we have for others or the carnal view we sometimes look at, but a love which goes much deeper and has meaning beyond normal feelings. Why would this maiden go out late at night to look for her loved one other than knowing this partner meant more to her than ‘being normal’
Whether this was a dream or what, I’m not going to speculate. What I do know is the real feeling you have when you know what love actually is. I have had relationships where I have been in love with the person and I have done things out of the ordinary to go out with said person(s) but each time I have found something lacking in the end.
I know my love for God goes beyond those feeling I have had for others in the past, but that is probably not the love this maiden is talking about. I believe this maiden is talking about the love one person has for another which goes beyond a casual relationship, or one which we think is real because we are choosing to look the other way over the shortcomings we know about.
God would prefer us to be with the one perfect person – but getting two people together at the right time and place is not always likely. We allow various feelings get in the way of what is real and what God wants. We get confused by physical feelings and desires. Sometimes we just have to put up with our shortcomings and get through life!
Points to Ponder:
Do you have the perfect partner?
Have you tried to give more than you take?