Lovesickness, and its Cure (Song 2:5)

Song of Songs 2:5

Overwhelmed with bliss are all
who will entwine their hearts in him, Isaiah 30:18 (TPT)

A brother shared with me about a recent experience, of spending an entire week in the intimate presence of God. Every day, through long, intense hours, he was getting revelations poured into him. It was, as he said, “powerful and humbling,” but in the end, he felt spent.

What he described is something I greatly covet. I’ve had times of this, so can relate, but they don’t happen as often as I’d like. I’m blessed more often by…

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The Banquet Continues

As an addendum to the last post that connects Song 2:4’s “wine bar” to the “upper room” of the Last Supper, I’d like to share this short, yet lovely piece by Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) that connects it to the “upper room” of Pentecost!

Something I believe the Spirit revealed to me recently, is that there are many “spices” that make up the recipe of spiritually understanding the Song of Songs. Each spice adds its own uniqueness, and some spices are for a specific season. But each person’s part in this “recipe,” if true and fresh, will cause us to hunger and thirst for more of Christ, who is the completion of ALL the parts.

I hope to share more of these “spices” in the days to come. 

Meanwhile – here is the one by Bernard.

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A Banquet of Love (Song 2:4)

Picture of a table set with wine

When the hour had come…Jesus said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover meal with you…” – Luke 22:14-15

Recently my husband and I have been sharing a weekly “communion” meal together. We use this set-apart time as a way of remembering Jesus’ life and death in the picture of a shared glass of wine, some bread, and a simple meal of soup or stew. It’s a little awkward still, as we try to make it meaningful and special. But it’s always a sweet time to me, and during the week I find myself eagerly looking forward to doing it again. 

It doesn’t compare, however, to the longing that Jesus has to commune with us, in our hearts. He brings us there, and invites us to feast on Him. In Song of Songs 2:4, it says:

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“Lingering and Savoring”…and a Gift of Free Food (Song 2:3)

Remember, it’s all free,” she said, taking my arm as we walked into the grocery store. I needed a little encouragement, for how often does one get a shopping pass to buy anything in a store without regard to cost? This happened recently when a friend was given a huge grocery card, and wanted to share it with me. 

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A POPPY IN THE PRICKERS

Picture of the poppy I saw in my hedgerow

Well hello there,” I whispered, gently touching the paper-like head that balanced precariously atop a long, skinny stem, “I certainly did not expect to see something like you in here.” 

It seemed to nod, the bright splash of red peeking out of the thicket in my hedgerow. A poppy. A single, lone poppy. How in the world did it get here?

In a neighbor’s yard there is a flower garden with poppies, but with the distance and obstacles in-between, it seemed unlikely a seed blew this far. Maybe it was carried by a bird, or got caught on the fur of a stray cat?

More importantly though, how did it grow in such a hostile environment?

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Remembering the Raspberries

Picture of Raspberries

There are no coincidences with God! He brings His bride through, back, and into new seasons—always leaving her with signposts of grace along the way. This post is one of those…a turning point that led to a long 5 year “winter” season for writing on the Song. But that is done now. The past is behind, (Chapter 1) and ahead is a new, unchartered season with God and the Song.

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WILDflower at Heart¹ (Song 2:1-2)

Wildchild among wildflowers image

Unshakeable satisfaction in human love is illusive, and an illusion, and needs to be put in its temporal place. The romance of the Song of Songs is not given to make us focus on human relationships, or long for a lover we don’t have, but to point us to the eternal substance of our inner life with Christ – and spiritual relationships, which are unshakeable.

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The Bed of Heaven (Song 1:16-17)

Picture of a green bed of plants

When I was a little girl I had a hobby horse, and remember spending countless hours riding and grooming it. Later in life when riding a real horse for the first time, a strong déjà vu feeling of my pretend horse came flooding back. It’s hard to describe, but sitting on the back of the reality, I felt like I had been there before, and it brought an exhilarating, childlike joy to my ride. 

All this came to mind on a certain trip, in which I could not escape an adventurous sense that its moments were once played out in the history of the Bible somewhere. What exactly I did not know, but it felt as if something from the past was merging with the present, forming a new and higher reality.

Hopefully I haven’t lost anyone. It’s actually an experience that, for me, helped unlock something in this next portion of the Song…

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