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…
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/bed-of-heaven-2/
A Story From Song 1:15 – 2:2
The moment the Shulamite woman dreamed about had finally arrived, that one she waited for, and journeyed at such great risk to experience. King Solomon was standing with her and holding her hands, staring at her adoringly. They exchanged some words of praise at their appearance to each other, skipping small talk entirely. Neither one were much for small talk.
Then she saw it! Like a door into another world …
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/secret-garden-story-lily-among-thorns/
There is something about the innocent, carefree season of childhood that I think we all long to reconnect with. But it’s not easy. I saved a meme that read: “Children smile an average of 400 times a day; adults 15. Children laugh about 150 times a day; adults 6. Children play between 4 to 6 hours a day; adults maybe 20 minutes. What happened?¹”
When a spiritual father was on his death bed, I asked him what he would wish for me to do more of after he is gone. His response? “Play more.”
That was not the answer I expected! But the truth is, play (and its twin, “rest”) is …
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/can-you-come-out-to-play/
Seek Him who made the Pleiades and Orion; and Who turns the shadow of death into morning. – Amos 5:8
Last week I had an off day. A few of them, actually, feeling lost, disconnected, and weak from an internal spiritual battle. (which really, is just a form of the original one) On this …
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/love-in-the-mazzaroth-6-10/
Blossoms are appearing! The season of songbirds has come, and the cooing of doves is being heard in the land. Song 2:12
My family used to raise doves, and sell the babies to pet stores. It was fairly easy, since they mated for life. And mated a lot! In fact, that is one of the unique things above doves. When our doves weren’t eating or sleeping, they were preening and loving on each other. The male constantly did a courtship dance, too. “Coo-Coo-Wah,” (with head bow) and he’d repeat it over and over until his female was finally receptive to him…
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/dove-eyes-1-15/
The Shulamite woman quietly enters a room, where King Solomon is seated at his “round table.” Busily talking to his men and looking at charts, he doesn’t see her behind him. But soon he lifts his nose to the air and closes his eyes…obviously catching a waft of her perfumed presence! This delights the Shulamite, and she sings, (which only she hears, as this is like an opera) “While the king is around his table, my spikenard spreads its fragrance!” verse 12.
Solomon returns to looking at his papers, but there’s a boyish smile on his face. We know that he knows, that his lover is in the room. The Shulamite, however…
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/scent-trail-of-henna-1-14/
I treasure my collection of books and studies about the Song of Songs. They are like little gardens to stroll through; sometimes discovering in one of them a fragrant flower that smells of Christ, or in another, a healing herb. Most have something to offer, even if they have a few “weeds” here and there. :-)
There is one book that I especially like, from a devotional standpoint particularly. It is, well, “different.”
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/bernard-of-clairvaux-on-myrrh/
My beloved is like a pouch of myrrh that rests between my breasts.– Song 1:13.
Anna,
I am speaking to you today, a fictional daughter, who has a name that’s dear to my heart. My Mom always thought it’d be nice to be called Anna. If she could change her name. So precious Anna, draw close. I have something to show you. It’s something I hope you can also smell.
See it here? This small, tightly-bound satchel hanging between my breasts? It’s called “Myrrh.” Go ahead, open it. The crystals are beautiful in color, aren’t they? Some call them “tears.” And for good reason.
I’ll try to be brief…
Continue reading
Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/myrrh-breasts-1-3/
Recent Comments