“If you do not know, most beautiful of women, follow the tracks of the sheep and graze your young goats by the tents of the shepherds.”
Song of Songs 1:8
The woman now gets some advice from her friends. They tell her to be more bold and more forward about carrying out her daily duties and not worrying about how it will look to other people. They tell her she is beautiful, and she knows it. She must be confident in her beauty, not just the outward sign of dark skin, but the inner beauty of service and overcoming in the face of oppression. She is beautiful in all respects, and must know that her truly beloved will see her and recognise that she is the one for him.
We also must know that the beauty we possess in Christ is the beauty He requires of us and the beauty that will draw Him to us and us to Him. We must not be apologetic about how we serve or how we worship or show our love for our one true love. The beauty we possess is complete, because it is complete in Him. We reflect the beauty of His person and His character, and no one can take this away from us. We see it. We recognise it and are confident in the work that the Beloved One is doing in our lives. We will not be intimidated to change or excuse ourselves or apologise for being too like Him.
The woman must graze her sheep and young goats, by the tents of the shepherds. She will be accepted by them, even they are also about the business of the Beloved. They recognise her and will give her sustenance and support. She will not be left destitute, though many would make her so.
“At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light .” …
Matthew 11: 25-29
All things are provided for the bride of the Lord. He will ensure they have rest and the necessities of life. He will provide all things and make all things right for them.
The woman need not fear, because her beloved has influences and effects far beyond her remit. The beloved one provides all that the woman will need and she need never fear, or wonder how she will cope with her situation. The people around her will provide and God will softened the hearts of people, to help His own. So we need never fear either, for the table is spread before us at all times.
The woman is instructed to follow the footsteps of the sheep. Who we follow is of crucial importance, and also the quality of the judgment we possess. Faulty decisions and unsound choices, lead to death. Death of the soul, primarily. But if we follow those who follow the perfect Christ, we will not go wrong. Our decisions will be wise and our judgment sound. However, knowing who these sincere people are, is difficult. We need discernment and justice, to analyse correctly. When we are young, this is very difficult, since we lack personal experience. We need older and wiser people to teach us wisdom’s way. The woman is encouraged to do this, by her friends.
To find our true love, is equally difficult. We may have to face many challenges and deep disappointments before the reality of love is known. Our Saviour has trodden that road before us and is our perfect Master and friend. We have the precious presence of the Holy Spirit within our soul, mind and body, who is our comforter, our power and guide. The woman will make it to the beloved, because she has judgment, wealth of character and the power of God. She is in all points, beautiful.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:21
The perfect Lord and God, took our rottenness on Himself, so that we could be made good people. Bad people can become righteous. We can become perfect, as Christ is perfect.
How far would you go to help another person? Would you put your life in danger to rescue someone in danger?
Would you take a chance to reach out to someone with love?
Would you take upon yourself the filthy clothes of a dishevelled person and give them your clean ones?
How could Jesus the Saviour bear to do what He did?
He loved me and gave Himself for me. It’s so very personal. Nothing matters to Him, but that His people are forgiven and made clean. We are of ultimate importance, and Jesus paid the ultimate price to possess us.
It wasn’t a rescue strategy, or a military mission, but a love expression. It was always planned that we should belong to Him. He will take our dirty rags and exchange them for the righteous robe of the Redeemed. It cannot be bought, but is given. Rags to riches, the end product of His sacrifice. We are made good, only in Him.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
“While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.”
2 Corinthians 5:4
The Christian knows that God is preparing something for us, in the future, that is far beyond anything we can compare it to in this life. We should love our bodies and look after them, but they do age, get sick and deteriorate. But we will put on fully redeemed and glorious bodies, fit for the coming kingdom.
We may suffer in these present bodies, but we are not cast down. We will put on a glorified body, that never deteriorates or dies. We know it in part, now, but there is so much more to come. Our Saviour provides for our physical lives, and the Holy Spirit guides and strengthens us in our inner soul. We are physically separate from the Lord, though His gracious presence is with us always.
But one day, we will see Him face-to-face, and touch the hands and feet that were pierced because of us. We will relate to Him fully, and be fully redeemed and glorified, as He is. Christ is our King and we will reign with Him.
So, we long for that day. The constant yearning to see His face and worship Him, glory to glory. We love Christ and we love ourselves, as His precious people. We will not be left naked before Him, ashamed and full of guilt, but robed in the robe of righteousness, that He will bestow on us. Our dying bodies will die no more, and we will be swallowed up in a life of joy unimaginable now. This is our comfort and hope.
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine.”
Song of Songs 1:2
There is no more romantic and passionate book, ever written, than this book. It is from the pen of Solomon, the wisest and richest of kings.
The writer starts with romantic and sexual passion. True desire asks for the deep intimacy that brings lips together and is so pure and fulfilling. The woman desires the man to kiss her on the mouth. She is overcome with love and the devotion that comes from a heart given freely. She desires Him because He desires her. This is mutual love, to be together at all times. It is not normal to say we want intimacy and yet be happy apart.
The Woman appeals to the Lord. She asks the Lord that He will let her true love kiss her on the mouth. This is the sacred place, the place of fellowship and privilege. To know the Lord and be guided by Him, is the greatest of situations. He will guide His people continually.
The kisses she seeks are from His mouth. The reciprocation of true and heartfelt desire. This is the place of communion and the marriage of true love. Not every kiss is such a kiss, but this expression is reserved for truth and justice and fellowship.
These kisses are true and the sweetest of the wine of communion. The Old Testament echoes the instigation of the Love Feast of the broken bread and the wine that speak of the remembrance of the love of Christ. Communion is with Him in His sufferings and the enjoyment of forgiveness and the peace of God. The kisses of love are sweeter than any wine, and the kisses of Christ are sweet to the taste of the believer.
To be in that close place with Christ is the desire of every Christian soul. To be in the closeness of that place and to feel the touch of his face upon ours, is communion. To know the kiss of His lips on ours, is the closest place to be. This is where we grow. This is where we become strong in the Lord and we become like Him, in love and sacred passion. Oh that our kisses with Christ would be like sweet wine, that we would meet with Him in His true communion and experience that closeness every time we come into His presence.
“…. whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:16
God gave us His holy commandments through Moses. Moses had spent a long time in the presence of God, and it had a profound effect on his person. Moses had to put a veil over his face, because the glory of God shone out of it, temporarily. When the Israelites saw Moses, they did not understand the significance of his presentation of the Ten Commandments. Is was like a veil over their understanding, which every human being experiences. We are not familiar with holiness.
Understanding comes through Christ. Only in Him is the veil removed from our minds, so that we understand, desire Him, and believe. The law of God teaches us our need of repentance, and the grace of God sets us free to be righteous.
The magnificence of the will of God is astounding. He reveals it to whoever He chooses, and removes the veil from our minds. This is insight and wisdom. It is from the Lord, and not ourselves. Christians are truly free people, and we stay away from any semblance of bondage of our mind or will. We continually seek Him, and to be like Him, throwing off all encumbrances and resisting all evil.
This exit from the dark is for anyone who wants it. When you walk out, it is for good. We live free lives in the power of the Spirit, who teaches and ministers to us continually.
“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”
Do you think God is a nice person? Is He respectable? Does He behave the way polite people think He should? Does He always do what is expected of Him?
There are many nice people with good manners, which they have learned, and seem to live fairly respectable lives. There are many who think this aspect, is the definition of a Christian.
There are many who think they are Christians, because they pride themselves in their respectability. They appear good. Under the surface, they are a mass of jealousies, bad temper, dishonesty and pride. These attributes are masked by the outer layer of niceness.
Jesus called them “whited sepulchres.” Looking good on the outside but inside only harbouring dead men’s bones. We need great discernment to work out the real goodness from the fake. Only a real Christian can do this, because we need the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to understand words and deeds. We need courage to face our convictions and act on them.
False Christians are very dangerous, and dupe many into thinking wrong, and to believe lies. Self examination is not a human strong point, but we learn it as we walk with God and grow in wisdom and understanding.
God does not behave as we do. We must find Him and become like Him. To know Him is a huge shock to us, as we discover God is not as we expected. He does break the rules, go against popular opinion and does outrageous things. Many disapprove. The Lord of everything does as He pleases, and we bow to Him. If we do what He asks of us, we will be full of joy and love will prevail.
It is better to be honest about yourself, make a mistake, or social “gaff” and apologise, than to adopt the outer veneer of the hypocrite. The Christian loves sincerity and righteousness, and we must be those people, not act like them…
Eventually, the rot within will come out so that it is seen. We might dupe our family and friends, but we cannot hide from God. If we sow the wind, our souls will reap the whirlwind.
Daughters of the Kingdom 