Thurs.’s Devo - The Maturing of the Bride

Read: Song of Songs 5:1-8:14; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15; Psalm 51:1-19; Proverbs 22:24-25
Song of Solomon is like no other book in the Bible. Today the lover comes to see his girl and she is not ready for him. By the time she gets ready, he is gone. We can miss God’s timing and never get back that opportunity. She was distraught and looked for him everywhere. She ran into the watchmen of the walls and they beat her and bruised her. The “watchmen of the walls” is a term identifying prophets. Prophets all over the internet have been saying that Jesus will come back this September. If you listen to them you will feel beat and bruised in your spirit. Not all prophets are true prophets of God.
The beloved’s friends asked her why her lover was better than others and she described him in the most beautiful words. She knew every part of him and found him altogether lovely. She knew that he could be found in the garden gathering lilies. Lilies in the Hebrew is Shuwshan. The feminine is showshannah which is like Roshashannah. The lily is shaped like a trumpet. Roshashannah is the Feast of Trumpets and Jesus will come back on that day.
The lover expounds on his love for her and describes her beauty. She is totally unique and perfect in his eyes. That is how God sees us.
It ends with them uniting and coming up from the desert together. She finally sees herself as someone worthy of her lover’s love. She now dwells in the gardens her lover dwelt in with those she has brought. She has matured into a blessed and beautiful woman.
In Corinthians Paul is getting the people primed for an offering he is about to take. He explains that their gift is their seed they sow to produce a harvest that will come back to them. He encourages them to be generous in every gift they give to God. This gift is not just for the people who need it but if overflows to God.
Lord, may we be like the Shunamite woman in Song of Solomon and grow in our intimate love for you. May we learn to dwell in your garden of spices so that we reek the aroma of heaven to those in the earth. May we be generous in every gift we give.