“Draw me! We will run after you!” 4th week: Song of songs 1:4

Picking up where we left off, we have seen how the girl treasures and delights in her shepherd, but today we see how she longs to be drawn closer to her shepherd.

That the love he has given her makes her feel special.

“Draw me! We will run after you! The king brings me into his apartments! We be glad and rejoice in you! We will recall [when we were favored with] your love, more fragrant then wine.  The upright [are not offended by you choice, but sincerely] love you.” AMP

  What a wonderful, passionate request.  How many people have said these words to God and meant it?  Do you desire God to draw you to Himself?  Or do you, as many act, only want Him near in hard times when you “really” need Him?

  Don’t misunderstand me, we should ask for and require His help in hard times, but when the girl says this, she gives no indication that she is in a hard situation.  She recognizes that we all desperately need God in the good, the bad, and in everything we do.

         

“Draw me!”… an action.

   The girl doesn’t want the love that she feels towards her shepherd to stand still.  In fact, quite the opposite.  She wants Him to draw her to Himself more.

  Notice in this verse there is cause and effect.  The “Draw me” part is the cause, and the “We will run after you!” is the effect. 

It always starts with God first- “Draw me! We will run after you!”

  

  We always react to what God does.  When God draws us,  we respond by desiring or pursuing Him more.  I find this increasingly true the more years I live.

The more I learn of God = the more I long to learn more.

The more I experience Him = the more I want to experience.

The more I pursue Him = the more I find Him worthy of my desire.

The more I long to be drawn to Him = the more I desire Him.

 Because God is desirable and He longs for you to be favored by Him

“The king brings me into His apartments.” AMP or “The king hath brought me into his inner chambers” YLT

 

  Let us picture for a moment a rooms in a rich castle; perhaps something similar to one out of the Arabian Nights or King Arthur.   You are a poor girl in the local village that happens to be looked upon with favor by the king.  He spots you in a crowd and he finds you attractive and desirable.  Because of this, he orders his men to take you into his castle, straight to one of his most private rooms: the room we just mentioned.

Upon looking around and being in the midst of all the splendor of such a room, what would you think of yourself and your situation?  I am sure you would at first feel a wonder at what you beheld; looking at the beauty of the rooms before you.  Then you would probably feel humbled, because you were unworthy of such honor.  When the king finally enters, you would probably say, "my lord, I am a simple peasant woman.  I do not deserve your kindness nor such honor."

  But instead of agreeing, the king states that he is pleased with you and because of that, you deserve such honor.  His kindness begins to grow a love in your heart for the king because you owe him so much for giving you love and honor that you don't deserve.

That is how Jesus is to us.

 

  We are not worthy to be brought into Gods wings of protection, yet He has revealed himself to us and favored the least favorable.  The only worth we have is that we have been looked upon with love by our King.

  Because of all He has done for us, love should naturally grow in our hearts, along with a desire to praise His holy name-“We will be glad and rejoice in you”

“We will recall [when we were favored with] your love, more fragrant then wine.”  

 

  Notice the tumbling movement: Revelation = reaction = humility = responding in a praise filled, thankful, meditative heart.   

  God wants us never to forget what He has done and we should never forget what we truly are and have been given through Jesus' blood.  By recalling what God has done, our desire and love towards Him increases.  When we recall what He has done, then we glorify Him in all that we recall-“We will extol your love more than wine.” NISB  

         

“The upright [are not offended by your choice, but sincerely] love you.”  

 

  Do you remember what Jesus said? "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants."

 
  Through the wonderful things God has done in our lives, the upright see (those who are saved by Jesus Christ) that the Father is wise in His choice, because He is glorified through revealing Himself to us: the lowest of the low.  They see this as a choice of God: to draw us, bring us into His inner apartments, and to shower love upon us.  This choice is not only good for us, but glorifies God immensely.

  Throughout Gods word His overarching desire is to glorify Himself because God is worthy of being glorified.  That is one of the many reasons why sin separates us from God.  When we sinned, we dishonored God and basically said, "We want to glorified as much as You are."

   Adam and Eve ate the fruit because they wanted to be like God; they wanted the glory that only God deserves.

  Idols also takes away the glory and honor that belongs to God and gives it to something that we, in reality, created with our own hands or hearts.  Idols do the exact opposite of what this verse talks about.  They draw us away from God, they create a false sense of happiness, and they encourage pride instead of humility.  Don't let idols get in the way of you being drawn closer to God.

  Through Jesus, we are made pure, perfect, and worthy to glorify God once more.  Jesus took the wrath of God for us and perfectly glorified God through His death.  He made it possible for us to truly say, "Draw me! We will run after you!"

May we desire Him with all of our hearts and know that we are special to Him!

How about you? Do you have any idols in your life that are keeping you away from drawing near to God?  Those idols don't just come in wood anymore. Maybe it's a certain behavior like pride or self reliance that is getting in the way.  Maybe it is an activity like video games or TV that is distracting you or creating the wrong attitude in your heart.

God is worthy of all the attention we can give Him... remember the kings apartments? Jesus longs to love you with all that He is.  We need to remember that we are special because He loves us. Not that He loves us because we are special.

 

Also, be sure to comment below any questions, comments, or concerns you might have.  

I would love to hear from you.

 

Be sure to check back or subscribe below to receive more Song of Songs posts, along with my other blog posts.  Thanks for reading and God Bless!

Why Dream, When Dreaming Hurts?

When you deal with as many health problems as I have, you tend to stop being a dreamer.

My heart hesitates to dream because it is afraid that those dreams will fall through the cracks any day.

Photo from http://pixabay.com

Why dream, when dreaming hurts?

  When I was a little girl, I dreamed of becoming a ballerina.  I know most girls dream of this when they are young, but I really wanted to be one.  Dance was my life and love until I was fourteen.  Then I became sick.  My body was so weak that dance became a distant memory.  It was heart wrenching for me to watch that dream slowly slip away, leaving me scared and empty.  What was my purpose now?

I didn't know it at the time, but God had something else planned for me to dream about.

  Over a year later I was digging through the closet in my mom and dads bedroom, (We were just going through things trying to be free of the clutter)  but while I was digging, I found something that I didn't expect to find: a dream.

  From out of the clutter and mess, I found a small guitar.  No one, not even my mom, knew where that guitar had come from, and looking back now I think God placed it there miraculously.  When I lifted out that guitar from its case, I felt my breath catch in my throat and (strange as it may sound) I could feel that guitar calling me.  

I needed to play that guitar!

  After that, I began playing that guitar practically non stop for the next year.  By the end of that year, I went into a guitar store to buy guitar picks and came out with a brand new guitar in my hand and a smile on my face.

I was a musician now!

  As much as I had loved dancing, I began to love music even more.  I realized that I had been loving music all along and now I had been given the gift of making music.  Yes, my dreams had changed, but I began realizing that that dreaming wasn't a waste of my time and my heart, but simply the prayer all dreamers pray.

  In the Wizard of Oz movie, Dorothy sings the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  This song express' her dreams completely.  It is as if she is praying, casting her dream into the world, and hoping that it will come true.  Dorothy had no idea that it would take a tornado, a witch and three strange companions to get where she needed to be, which just happened to be home: the place she hated at the beginning.  But Dorothy wasn't the same girl anymore.

Dreaming changes us as well as our lives.

  I learned a lot from dance.  Not just life skills, I learned about myself.  Because whether those dreams come true or not, they change us and help us grow.  More often than not, God uses our experiences to prepare us for something in the future.

We need to see that our dreams are prayers.

   Paul said, in 1 Thessalonians 3:10- "(and we) continue to pray especially and with most intense earnestness nigh and day that we may see you face to face and mend whatever may be imperfect and lacking in your faith."

  This verse is talking about a dream, but because we have the word pray in it, we don't it as a dream.

  Paul dreams about coming back to the Thessalonians and building them up in Christ.  This desire or dream is something Paul is passionate about, otherwise he wouldn't pray it night and day.  We also can see from Paul's life that sometimes Paul's desire or dream didn't come true because God had bigger plans.

  Our goals and dreams are ideas of what we desire to happen, just as our prayers are.  Dorothy didn't know how her dream would come true and neither do we.

  Next time you are dreaming, or the next time you are praying, lift those dreams up to God.  Jesus isn't the crusher of your dreams, Jesus is the creator of those dreams.  That desire is real and He wants to hear about your dreams and be your partner in this thing called life.  He is on your team!

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart."-Psalm 37:4.

  Our dreams aren't just about a destination.  Our dreams are a journey.  Maybe we have to go through a life 'Tornado' before we can get to where we need to be.  But be sure of this:

Jesus will be there every step of the way; molding us and shaping us and our dreams!

 

If your anything like me, maybe you need a little help in just how do I bring my dreams to God through my prayers.  Here's a little exercise:

  Write down all your dreams or goals on a piece of paper, leaving a bit of room between each.

  Then pray. If your someone who needs a physical action.  Hold the piece of paper and as you pray, let the paper fall from your hands to your lap, so you are no longer physically clinging to them.  

  Ask God to help you accomplish what dreams or goals He wants you to accomplish.

Also, ask Him to change your heart and help you to let go of the dreams that may be holding too tightly.

  Finally ask Him for wisdom or insight in what steps you need to take in order to accomplish each dream.  When He gives you any thoughts or ideas (and I know He will), write them down in the empty spots we left on the sheets.

 

  If you are unsure whether you can trust God with your dreams and your heart, keep this poem in mind.

Can your trust in the One who loves you?

Can you hope in the One who cares?

Trusting in the One beside you,

Knowing He is always there

Your heart knows the answer

It's as clear as a rainbow's beams

You would trust Him to the end

With all your hopes and dreams

Waiting For Spring

Photo from pixabay.com

Waiting For Spring:

Silence fills my ears as I stare out at the open field.

Will warmth ever come?

Will winter ever yield?

I know under the snow there is movement in the ground:

Seeds beginning to stir,

Green pushing upwards.

Life is there beneath the snow covered mound.

Each day the sun feels stronger and warmer than before.

It's a long and hard passage

To springs glimmering shore

We cannot spur on the change nor can the movement cease

Spring will come

Warmth will be felt

No matter how long it may delay or tease

The faithfulness of God; we see it in this time.

The leaves shall come;

The flowers on the vine.

Over and over it goes; onward the pattern strides

Showing beauty in waiting.

Showing beauty in death.

Re-birthing beauty in new, fresh, bursting life!

 How about you? Have you been waiting for God to re-birth new life in your life?  What truth about God's faithfulness do you need to remember today? 

3rd Week of Song Of Songs Study: Song of Songs 1:3

Week 3: Song of songs 1:3

          “And she continues ‘The odor of your ointments is fragrant; your name is like perfume poured out.  Therefore do the maidens love you.” AMP

 

           This week, we pick up where we left off.  The girl has expressed her love towards her beloved.  She has shown us that he is dear and precious to her, far more than anything else she treasures in this world.  And, in this next passage, she begins to show us why she loves him.

“The odor of your ointments is fragrant,” AMP  or “Your oils have a pleasing fragrance,” NISB. 

 

            The girl has seen something in her beloved that many people never see.  She not only desires him or loves him, but delights in him.  

God wants us to desire Him and treasure Him above everything in our life.

          How many people can say that they find God delightful and sweet?  Could you say to God, truthfully, “Your oils have a pleasing fragrance”?   At the moment, you probably can't because you are thinking, "What in the world does that mean?".

           This passage has a lot of strange imagery, but if we move slowly and carefully, I think by the end you will be able to say, with your whole heart, "Therefore do the maidens love you!"

            The oil that is spoken of here refers to oil that cleanses or purifies people.  It isn't some greasy, cooking oil, but a fragrant, perfume, oil that is set aside for certain purifying ceremonies.  Such as the oil that Samuel uses to anoint David. 

This is oil that does something and just like purifying oil, Jesus is always growing this relationship: renewing and cleansing us, from when we first except Christ, to the day we die.

         

“Your name is like perfume poured out,” AMP.  

   

            More oil or perfume, but in this case it is referring directly to an action that this oil is a part of; it is physically being poured out.

            Matthew 26:7-13 talks of a similar action associated with oil or perfume: “a woman came up to Him (Jesus) with an alabaster flask and very precious perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.” AMP (words in parenthesis added)

            This perfume was specifically used to make dead bodies ready for burial.  The woman did this to prepare Jesus for His sacrificial death.  Also, remember the wise men at Jesus’ birth who brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Both the woman's perfume and the myrrh from the wise men would be described as oil or perfume that was used in burial, and all these verses speak of the same type of perfume.

           

 She delights in the fact that God is holy and that His mercy has been poured out upon her: “Perfume emptied out- thy name.” YLT

            Notice the separation: “Perfume emptied out- thy name.” YLT.  Jesus was poured out for us through His death and only through Him pouring out His life on us (the perfume of mercy and grace), can we be cleansed and made alive through Him.  The bible mentions that the sacrifice's on the alter gave off a pleasing fragrance to God.  How much more pleasing is the fragrance from Jesus' sacrifice?

“Therefore…”  A word to halt at! “Therefore do the maidens love you.”  

            Because of all of this, God is praised.  When we see all these thing in God and truly experience Him: love naturally responds in our hearts.

           But in this there is a subtle point, because the maidens in this part can also be described as virgins:

             The word “Virgin” is used to describe something pure, unmarred, and unused.  These people that love Him in this verse are His people: the people who have experienced His cleansing blood and have become as pure as a virgin; free from sins stains.

          As you think about this, think back to what I said in the intro about how He wants us to love reaching for Him out of our need.  

           We will naturally reach for what we desire and we will naturally desire what we need, but it is never without love... 

because we desire what we love.

           Therefore, our desire to reach for God is not only caused by our need for Him, but because we love Him.  We love Him because He is delightful and satisfying, which is why we need Him… it is a circle.

            God delights in doing this, because He is glorified through us when we reach towards Him, in this loving way.

            As John Piper says, “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him”

 John Piper ‘Desiring God’.

          When we delight in God and in what He has done, His name is glorified through this heartfelt action.

Have you taken the time to truly delight in Jesus and what He has done? Do you struggle with enjoying the way He refines us and shapes us with His purifying oil?  Please feel free to comment below any thoughts or questions.  I really want to hear from you and I respond to every comment.

 Like what you just read? Check back every Saturday, or enter your email at the bottom of the page, so we can continue to walk through Song of Songs together.

Didn't see the earlier posts?  There are two spots where I mentioned them in this post. Just click on those spots and you'll be able to catch up. 

Thanks for reading and God bless!