Wed.’s Devo - Give Thanks

Read: Song of Songs 1:1-4:16; 2 Corinthians 8:16-24; Psalm 50:1-23; Proverbs 22:22-23 Song of Solomon has to be the most confusing book in the Bible. It is the story of a young maiden in love with the prince. It is an allegory of Christ and the Church, covenant love and the love of God to Israel. I want to read it the latter way this year and see what we get from it. We have to always keep in mind that we as Gentile Christians are grafted into that family and we are now Jews in the spiritual sense but I want us to read this as the nation of Israel being the young maiden. *** It opens with her wanting to enjoy the love and embraces of her lover. She wants to run with him wherever he goes. I think of Abraham who was the Father of Israel. He left his father and mother to follow after God into a land he knew nothing about. He was told he would be a wanderer throughout the land and never own much of it. He was content to walk with God through this earth knowing that his inheritance was with God. *** The woman looks at herself and feels so lacking in what it would take to become the lover of the prince. But, she still longs to find him. Every person that God called felt unworthy of his calling. It took them a while to know that they would only be the vessel God would work through. *** Interesting how she often mentions tents. That was what they wondered in for years. The Tabernacle was a tent. *** The young woman talks about the king enchanted by the fragrance of her perfume. She is also taken up in his fragrance. That is the picture of what happens when we draw near to God and he draws near to us. We are both filled with our senses in a very pleasing way. Israel was blessed when they worshipped the Lord. The smell of their sacrifices pleased the nostrils of God. *** Abraham’s faith was counted to him as righteousness. The hall of faith in Hebrews 11 tells us of the people mentioned whose faith was like incense to God. We are told that our prayers are like incense to the Lord. ** In Chapter 2, the young man is coming in the spring. It is the time when the flowers start to bloom and the fig trees are forming young fruit and the vineyards are blossoming. He calls his lover to come away with him. This is the time of Passover, when God rescued his people out of the slavery of Egypt and brought them away with him to worship him. Sadly, they brought the gods of Egypt with them and many continued to worship them. But, there was a remnant of priests and Levites and the people who worshiped at the Tabernacle and followed God. *** The young woman searches everywhere for her lover and finally finds him. He is more glorious than she can imagine. It was David who searched for the Lord with all his heart and God blessed him to become the king. He was the warrior king, but Solomon was his glory. Israel came to her rescued glory during the reign of Solomon. God blessed them and they rose as the light of the world in every area of society. Israel’s fragrance spread across the world. It continues to do that as many of the greatest inventions and greatest men have been Jews. *** Paul commends the Corinthians in the way that they received Titus in his place. Titus felt so well loved by them that he longed to return. Paul was going to send another person with Titus to come and minister to them again. Paul, himself was coming also. He would be bringing the gift he had collected from the other churches to help them. *** I hear God saying to us, “Help is on the way.” All of God’s angel army have been preparing for our day. A great battle is going to play out in the heavens and on the earth beginning in September. It will last until early spring. We are fighting against all the powers and principalities that have infiltrated our society and the societies of the earth. We need to be praying every day that they would be strong and courageous and that the Body of Christ would be strong and courageous. We are going to win but it is an all-hands-on-deck time. We use the weapons of our warfare which are faith, joy, love and consistent prayer. If you don’t know what to pray, open your Bible and start reading a Psalms aloud and declare that. You know you are praying in accordance to God’s will when you declare his Word. Today we read in our Psalm that giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors God. *** Lord, thank you that you are our Commander in Chief. We trust in you to lead us to victory. We are not afraid because we know you are our triumphant Savior. May your kingdom come to earth as it is in heaven.