“The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.”
John 3:29
How would you interpret the goal of love the lord your God with all your heart in the light that shines from Song of Solomon? Wouldn’t love take on a whole new dynamic? What about readiness, as Jesus speaks of? The bride of Solomon eager to be beautiful for him. And what about the joy set before Jesus, spoken of in Hebrews 12? Wouldn’t it be the joy of union with this bride?
And so the message of Jesus’ delight in his bride takes on fresh value. Each married person here knows the ebb and flow of a happy marriage. But to read Song of Solomon is to capture the intensity of delight of Solomon for his bride. He loves her deeply and dearly. He is eager to release himself to her. He is delighting in a relationship that is shared, a joy that is shared, as two people of the same kind are married into the fire of love.
So here is the question, does our love for Jesus mirror the Shulammite woman? That girl loved Solomon. There was nothing else on her calendar or to do list than love Him. Do we expect that Jesus will consider anything less than the Shulammite love for himself as that which is worthy of marriage? That which is the joy set before him?
How much “wait and see” has overtaken our faith? How much “not yet” has asserted itself? What would the Shulammite counsel us regarding our heart posture to the king of Peace? Maybe the end would come if we all actually wanted him to actually come back, instead of excusing him from returning while we handle our things. The instant something else matters more than Him we are not bridal are we? Not if we are honest. And so loving the Lord with all our heart must have the Shulammite fire or we find ourselves the daughters of Jerusalem, not the one body Solomon longs for. We become fans of another love, not participants ourselves. May the love which the Father and the Shulammite have for Jesus be ours by Spirit and by life.
