Dec 06 2019

Determined To Be Kissed (Song 1:2)

  • 12/06/2019

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth… – Song 1:2a

What a bold and provocative way to start off the Song of Songs: “Let him kiss me.” Is the Woman talking to something, or someone, who is resisting her? 

I personally have been inspired in my pursuit of understanding the Song by looking to God for a hidden story behind the words. Like a musical or an opera – we can learn from both the words sung, and the actions acted out. Only we are not peeking in on actors here, but rather shadows of us and Christ. (As much as we can believe it!)

So with that being said, I see the Woman’s desperate cry for being kissed unfolding something like this: 

[Curtain opens]

The Shulamite suddenly appears off to the side, spotting King Solomon on the other side of a crowd of people. Friends, relatives, and powerful dignitaries – they were all there – each with their own agenda for being at this royal party. Desperate to get to her Beloved, the woman begins to push through, but the throng congregates more thickly between her and the King. Handsome princes puff out their chests and wink their eyes to get her attention. And other people hold out glasses of wine in a symbolic gesture to be distracted and stupefied. But she would have none of it. She is the King’s bride, and a woman who knows what she wants.  

“Let him kiss me!” the Shulamite shouts out, and with violent determination and force, she pushes through the crowd of temptations and is finally face to face with the King. His face beams with a smile, and his eyes tear up. He is obviously pleased that his Bride clearly desires what he desires.   

The Shulamite then realizes that somehow she is holding a glass of wine that someone in the crowd managed to get into her hands. Signaling to one of her maidens nearby to take the glass, the Woman then looks at the King and unabashedly makes a statement that delights his ears, but shocks and intrigues the few people standing close enough to hear her.

“Your lovemaking is better than wine,” she whispers.

[Curtain closes]

The Kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
 and forceful people have been seizing it. – Matthew 11:12 (GWT)

Come boldly unto the throne of grace… – Hebrews 4:16

 NEXT POST:   Thirsty For A Kiss (Song 1:2 continued)
PREVIOUS POST:  “A Hidden Author in the Song”   

Permanent link to this article: https://intimatekingdom.com/determined-to-be-kissed/

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  1. I know I didn’t add any personal commentary to this post, but hope that the story spoke for itself. Personally, there are so many distractions that catch me off guard sometimes. And old temptations try to numb my senses. So I’m inspired by “getting to know” this woman more. Her heart cry in verse 2 is one of a true warrior! Starting here, and throughout the Song, she is seen resisting opposing forces for the prize of intimate relationship with Christ.

    Please jump in with your thoughts too, anytime.

  2. Great article, as usual!

    1. I’m glad it was a blessing, Wayne.

      • Anonymous on 12/07/2019 at 5:00 pm
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      So boundlessly powerful is this determination of the bride, first love is the great motivator. In Solomon’s Song the love expression is meant not to be glossed over, seen through the Spirit we behold the Christ and the bride in a way like no other the most popular book of collections. And we also see her over and over again: she wept upon Jesus’ feet and kissed his feet repeatedly (Jesus said, “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.”), she touched the hem of his robe, and on and on we see her boldness, her courage, her love, her brideness of the Christ. Paul often started his letters with “a holy kiss” and Peter “a kiss of love.” Comment on your quotes from SOS. The winemaker is better than the wine and/or love is better than wine, God is love, to quote John.

      1. I know who this is, and your words are precious. It is indeed beautiful to know Mary, as well – another Woman who had courage, and a relentless fire in her bosom for Christ. Thank you for sharing your comment with everyone. XO.

      • Anonymous on 12/08/2019 at 12:09 am
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      Sorry Wayne, I meant to make a regular comment earlier, not a reply to your comment, I pushed the wrong button:)

  3. Anything else but genuine love will be distracted.
    Only true love has in itself the flame that burns relentlessly and restlessly for oneness with the Beloved.
    Any distraction is regarded as a nuisance, and hated. Love is only satisfied and at rest when in the Beloved.
    Distraction is a very normal thing but only for a heart that doesn’t beat in the rhythm of fire… and so
    holds up to each of us a mirror about the true condition of our hearts.
    Yes, we can dress ourselves up to a certain extent, can create some show to convince others or even delude ourselves… but we all have got adulterous hearts which love distractions… and this sad truth should bring on us this desperation, this painful outcry: Create in me a new heart, oh Lord! Restore unto me the flame of this consuming love. A love that by the very nature of its character won’t rest until it is united with the Beloved.

    1. In Christ, our hearts are pure, because it is His heart.It is this beating heart that impels us through distractions.True love comes into testing on a daily basis, however. Being aware of this has been helpful for me, to not quench this fire of love that wants to grow in strength, until all is burned up with it.

    • Scott R Smith on 12/07/2019 at 8:53 pm
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    Insightful imagining of the setting Pam

    1. I’m glad that it was a blessing, Scott.

    • Maggie Brewer on 12/08/2019 at 6:57 am
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    You are an amazing writer Pam! God bless you and may He continue to inspire you!
    Maggie

    • Gayle conrad on 12/08/2019 at 9:57 am
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    😊

    • Lois on 12/08/2019 at 3:30 pm
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    Beautiful imagery. Lots to chew on. Thank you for sharing such beauty with us.

  8. I am wondering what people might consider as ”distractions”? Personally I identify strongly with the fierce, aggressive, determination of the bride here when she cries out LET HIM kiss me… You have described it well, Pamela, as violent force. This is the part that speaks to me most on a personal level in this passage. As someone who is the parent of a disabled adult, with the responsibility of arranging and running someone else’s life on an almost daily basis, arranging appropriate supports at specified time, liaising with agencies and government departments, medical appointments etc. etc. at times all I want to do is run away from all the responsibility and sit beside the Lover of my soul forever – without the “‘distractions”. But I am learning to be careful about what I consider a distraction, and what is actually something I have to learn to do WITH Him from His heart of pure Love. Surely that love must flow out (in action) from the intimacy between the Bridegroom and His Bride, in tangible ways, even ways we did not choose, because ultimately it is too big to be kept only in the secret place. So in my own life my main distraction requires a daily busyness that I do not choose from an adulterous heart, but nevertheless demands my attention to the point of weariness. Truly, I don’t want to be there, I want to come aside, alone, with the Beloved. But I have learned and continue to learn from this particular distraction that unless I continually return to that place of intimacy with the Beloved I cannot physically or emotionally continue. I know this place of shouting “Let Him kiss me…” because there are often times when all the demands have to be literally pushed out of the way, even urgent ones, so that I can run to Him in that secret place. So I would simply ask us to consider carefully before we label everything outside that place of personal intimacy with the Beloved a ”distraction”. I agree there are many, many distractions offered by the world and by the organised church (if we are still attending). But sometimes we need to look for Him in the distraction and see if He is there in it, beckoning us to join Him, as He loves on someone, or wishes to teach us something about the way He loves. I admit I am very much still on Learner Plates in this arena. And I feel that the Bride, at this stage of her journey into maturity, still had quite a bit to learn about her Beloved and what she might label “‘distractions”‘ keeping her from Him.

    1. Dear Cheryl, you brought up an important distinction, and I appreciate it. (I know I left the conversation really opened ended, and don’t mind this, because I too am on the journey of learning this way of love, and am helped by the input of others.)

      One thought that came up upon reading your testimony, is of Jesus, and how the crowds pressed him so. How it must have wearied him. He did not push them away, but embraced their needs with compassion. Like you, He had to look for short windows of time to “come away before you come apart,” to be with His Father and be refreshed.

      But then there was the crowd that had an agenda to make him king, and Jesus *did* turn his face away from this crowd. It was this crowd that was a distraction – a distraction from the Cross.

      So I guess my point, incomplete as it is, is to confess that embracing the cross was missing from my short piece above. And the subject of intimacy with Christ cannot be separated from the fellowship of suffering. It is a package deal.

      So I think it is better to say that the “distractions” to be resisted are those things that would tempt us to despair of embracing the cross, and take us off the path of love. And more often than not, these distractions are in our mind, where the battle is waged, more than they are in people or situations that God Himself has brought into our lives to make us better lovers.

      And even brought into our lives, so that we would seek a richer degree of intimacy with Christ then we ever knew before.

      I hope this makes sense.

      What you said above has a lot of weight, and I especially like the part that expressed, “ultimately [intimacy between the Bridegroom and Bride] it is too big to be kept only in the secret place.”

      By the way, I’m so glad that I discovered your website, http://www.BreadfortheBride.com (which I highly recommend to anyone reading this!) and got to know you more since then. You are an inspiration to me. ❤︎

      1. Oh absolutely! You said: “‘ And the subject of intimacy with Christ cannot be separated from the fellowship of suffering. It is a package deal.”‘ Nailed it. And making us better Lovers, what beautiful and exact wording Pamela. I had never thought of Him doing that, but that is exactly the outcome of meeting with Him in that secret place. I am drawn frequently to the image of Christ sleeping peacefully in the fishing boat when the violent storm erupted all around Him and the disciples, who were experienced fishermen and used to sudden storms on that sea, freaked out and feared for their lives. The life threatening storm could not distract Him from the intimacy He shared with the Father as He rested, and they (we?) couldn’t grasp hold of that at that time. Yes, how weary He must have been! But His communion with the Father was deeper than the depth of the threatening sea. I seek to know that place, as we all do I believe. Thankyou for this enthralling series!

        1. That’s a wonderful word picture! Thank you, Cheryl. ❤︎

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