“My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices,
to pasture his flock in the gardens,
and to gather lilies.
I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he pastures his flock among the lilies.”
Song of Solomon 6:2-3 (RSV)
Solomon, David’s son, wrote this book of scripture for lovers, and yet there is a deeper meaning in it.
The new covenant in Christ, refers to His church as His bride. The book known as both Song of Solomon or Song of Songs, has meaning regarding the intimacy between Christ and His church.
David’s psalms revealed the intimacy of his relationship with the Lord. At the most difficult times in his life, David referred to God, as “my God”, and to God’s love as “ better than life.”
David had an intimacy with the Lord as his closest friend, and he has been a template of faith for his own son, Solomon, as well as all people, in whatever situation they are in.
Whether we are going through sickness, sorrow, loss or tragedy, just like David, we must find and restore our intimacy with God, which is our anchor during hard times.
These verses written by Solomon, “you are my beloved and I am yours.”is a statement of intimacy between lovers, but also between us and our God.
Matthew Henry’s commentary on this scripture, best explains how it represent Christ and His people:
“If our own hearts can witness for us that we are Christ’s, question not his being ours, for the covenant never breaks on His side. It is the comfort of the church, that He feeds among the lilies, that He takes delight in his people.”
God is our personal God and Savior, not because we receive everything we ask for, but because He loves us more than anyone on earth ever could. Jesus takes delight in His people, and desires intimacy with each of us.
It’s not a relationship of servant and master, or magic formulas of getting things we want from a far off King on a throne. It’s a loving relationship between father and child, or as Solomon saw it, as lovers, or bride and groom.
When we have security in our own intimate friendship with Jesus, we enjoy seeing how someone else is blessed. We say to ourself, that’s “my God” who did that. In knowing Him personally, it gives us joy to know that others do as well.
I know I’ve used this analogy before, and it’s one that I recall from my childhood. My mother worked full time when I was a child, since my father was slightly disabled from a stroke. She took a city bus to and from work each day. I remember a friend I had as a child, named Mary Margaret O’Connor, who was a few years younger than me and lived only a couple doors away.
Whenever Mary Margaret saw my mother returning from work, getting off the city bus, and walking towards our house, she would run down the block excitedly to greet my mother. My mother greeted her with a big hug, even before me.
The first time I saw her do this, I was very perplexed and wondered why she was so enthused to see my mother. Then I realized my mother was such a loving person that she was the highlight of the day for a little girl, who couldn’t wait to run and hug her.
I was secure enough that my mother loved me, and therefore, didn’t feel jealous when Mary Margaret ran way ahead of me to receive the first hug. Instead of envying her for taking over my mother, I found a sense of pride to have the kind of mother, who was so special and loving to someone else.
That’s how I interpret intimacy with God. He has to be personal for us, in such a secure way that we rejoice when He also becomes personal to others. In the same way that I knew I was greatly loved by “my mother”, I now know I am greatly loved by “my God.” A relationship with God needs to be intimate, either as bride and groom or parent and child, and yet we are also proud of Him when others also know of His goodness.
Jesus is our beloved and we are His, as Solomon wrote. We can know Him as David did, even through all the adversity and troubles of life. Our intimacy with Him is the anchor that keeps us solid in faith.
Lord, you love us as no one else ever could and your love is truly better than life itself. Help each of us to know that we are your beloved and you are ours. Anchor us in your love which keeps us through all the trials of our lives. Amen