In the Secret Place

Many books of the Bible are often misused or misunderstood. Therefore they don't get the kind of fanfare that other books do, such as Genesis, Psalm, or the Gospels. Old testament books (like Leviticus, Numbers, and Song of Solomon) seem to be thrown out of the mix more often than not. When you think of it, it is pretty sad, because there is so much daily application that we are missing from these books.

For a little while now, I have been going through Song of Solomon. However, I have put a different twist on it. Instead of reading it as a man and woman speaking, I read it as if God Himself was whispering these words directly to me. Now before I proceed any farther, I know that this is a book for lovers. It seems appropriate though, since we are the bride of Christ, to become acquainted with our Lover. Here are just a few notes that I have come away with.

One of the chapters that impacted me the most is Song of Songs 5:2-6

² I slept but my heart was awake.

Listen! My beloved is knocking:

“Open to me, my sister, my darling,

my dove, my flawless one.

My head is drenched with dew,

my hair with the dampness of the night.”

³ I have taken off my robe—

must I put it on again?

I have washed my feet—

must I soil them again?

⁴ My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening;

my heart began to pound for him.

⁵ I arose to open for my beloved,

and my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with flowing myrrh,

on the handles of the bolt.

⁶ I opened for my beloved,

but my beloved had left; he was gone.

My heart sank at his departure.

I looked for him but did not find him.

I called him but he did not answer.

Ashamedly, I feel as though I can relate to this passage all too many times. This, however, is exactly what God does. He stands at the door of our hearts, knocking, desiring for us to open. How many times have you said, "Go away, I'm tired" or "I'm too busy to spend time with you right now." Laziness and apathy have overtaken us. Time and time again we tend to shut God out. Then when we search for Him, it seems as though sometimes we can't find Him.

It is a very sad state of affairs when Christ is shut off from our lives and used as a genie of sorts, summoned by our every command. Who are we to pretend to lock God, the creator of the Universe, in a little box safely hidden away until a more convenient time (read Job 38-41 to get an idea of the greatness of God http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+38&version=NIV)? Has it ever occurred to you that in the moments when God seems to not answer, that you have pushed Him away rather than Him just maintaining silence on an issue?

Another passage that has really spoken to me is found in Song of Songs 8:6-7

⁶ Place me like a seal over your heart,

like a seal on your arm;

for love is as strong as death,

its jealousy unyielding as the grave.

It burns like blazing fire,

like a mighty flame.

⁷ Many waters cannot quench love;

rivers cannot sweep it away.

If one were to give

all the wealth of one’s house for love,

it would be utterly scorned.

This passage automatically takes my mind back to Romans 8:37 where Paul declares that NOTHING can separate us from the love that Christ has for us. His jealousy for you is intense. He desires all of you! When we break away to sin or find our meaning in a guy, girl, technology, whatever your idol is, it breaks His heart. The love He lavishes on us is incomprehensible. Yet we still take pride in acting like the very thing that He has saved us from. To see that disobedience and hate, especially from Christians, towards God makes me appreciate the fact that He still can love us. Yet at the same time it makes me wonder just how much more terrifying Judgement Day will be. To know that despite His love, we crucified Him again, and again, and again.

I encourage you to go through the Song of Songs again, and read it all...make notes on the side of the page, and notice how the lovers interact. This should set a guideline of how our relationship with Christ is. Posted below is a song that, while it is getting older and older, it still holds a valuable truth for all of us. No matter where you are or who you are, we all need to have a secret place where we seek and become more intimate with God. I challenge you to turn off the iPod, e-Bible, and sermons. Spend true quality time with God, ALONE. This is very hard to do, however the benefits far outweigh the costs.

Become intimate.