Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth – for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens love you! Take me away with you-let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine.
– Song of Songs 1:1-4 (NIV)
Devotion
These verses create a beautiful word picture of a love relationship and begin with a vivid description of love as “more delightful than wine”, making the lover rejoice. Song of Songs is a poem which relates the love dialogue between a simple Jewish maiden (the Shulammite woman) and her lover (Solomon, the king). This book chronicles, in intimate detail, their feelings for each other and their strong desires to be together. Throughout this dialogue, sex and marriage are depicted from a proper, God-given perspective. The relationship between the lovers in Song of Songs parallels that of God’s love for the church. Today’s culture seems to be relentless in challenging God’s design for love, marriage, sex and how we view them. We can get confused in areas of life, even though God’s word has been consistent all along. This book can help us gain a better understanding of God’s design for sex and marriage, and also shows us a beautiful picture of God’s love for his people.
The Big Question
How has the redefining of desirable and acceptable relationships changed our culture in the past couple of decades? How has this impacted your life or the lives of your friends and co-workers? How can you use this understanding as an opportunity to share God with those around you?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence reflecting on what you have learned.