Song of Songs 7:10

“I am my beloved’s. His desire is toward me.”

The beloved woman now speaks these words…

In the New living translation it reads….

“I am my lover’s, and he claims me as his own.”

It is so personal. It is the expression of her heart, that she should belong to her beloved and be claimed as His prize. There is something wonderful about belonging to another person, and belonging to a family. There is a loneliness to be experienced that only single people really understand. Some are called to this life, and the Lord draws particularly close to them. There may be little physical closeness but great spiritual and inner felt warmth from the Holy Spirit. Maybe this is a better state to be in, and one we should consider when thinking of marriage.

The Apostle Paul speaks about remaining single, as a blessed estate, and one that is a good choice.

“But I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am. But if they don’t have self-control, let them marry. For it’s better to marry than to burn. But to the married I command—not I, but the Lord—that the wife not leave her husband (but if she departs, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband not leave his wife.”

1 Corinthians 7:8-11

To be unmarried and remain a single person, or to leave an abusive marriage and be a single person, is permitted here. It is not presented as a disgrace to the person, or a judgment about the value or suitability of the person. It is a personal situation and choice.

But this book of Songs, is about the true love of two people who love each other so deeply, that these outrageous expression of love and devotion are real. There is such a thing. Not least, in the kingdom of heaven, between Jesus the Beloved and the beloved woman, who is His body, His people, His church. The love between Jesus and the church, is the greatest story every told. His love reaches to us in all our need and lifts us out of ignominy and grief and sin, and sets us up on high, as He is, and to reign with Him forever in unspeakable glory.

The love of the people of God should be so rich and deep. We should be so devoted to the Lord, that nothing is so hard to give up, or to deny ourselves, that it causes us grief. We should be so in love with Him, that all other things fall away and we belong to Him completely. Nothing of self remains, only Christ.

If the desire of Christ is towards you, you should be the happiest person on the whole planet. His love should overwhelm you and make all the difficulties easy. We give ourselves to Him again, the lover of our souls, and only one. He puts all other loves to flight and takes our eyes of the things of this world, and puts them on His own dear self. He will never oppress us or deny us what we need, and will supply all wants and wishes that will encourage us and lead us safely into the life God wants for us.

Jesus the saviour and Lord, claims His people and no one can take them away. We are secure and safe in His beloved care and we can rest on him entirely, no matter what our circumstances might be.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

John 10:27-29

In comparison with the love of Christ for our souls, the love of others is cold. There is no heat without the love of the Lord Jesus burning in your heart. All other loves are substandard and we must recognise this. Without His love we have no hope, no God and no salvation and no love. All who posses this love are blessed beyond blessing and are completely safe no matter what happens to them, or what people say about them. The love of the Beloved is always towards them and will keep them everlastingly. We bear our burdens knowing that He bears us up and will bring us safely to our destination at the end.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.”

James 1:12

If your trials are painful and deep, count it a privileged to suffer for His sake, because He will certainly bring you through. There is no other power can do so, for there is no other name given in heaven or earth that is able to save and keep us.

“None other Lamb, none other name, none other hope in heav’n or earth or sea, none other hiding place from guilt and shame, none besides Thee…”

Christina Rossetti 1830