Song of Songs 7:10-8:14. 8-22-12. LOVE IS AS STRONG AS DEATH-devotional

Song of Songs 7:10-8:14
Key Verse: 8:6

Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF    Wednesday, August 22, 2012

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.”

Dear Lord Jesus, heal my heart and help me to be restored in your love. Show me the path that I should go. You are my all in all. My heart cries out to you. Please plant your word in my heart today. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1: I Am His And He Is Mine (7:10-8:4).

7:10-8:4, “I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me. 11 Come, my beloved, let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages. 12 Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom — there I will give you my love. 13 The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my beloved. 8 If only you were to me like a brother, who was nursed at my mother’s breasts! Then, if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me. 2 I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house — she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates. 3 His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me. 4 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”

In verses 7:10-8:4, she finds him and gives him her love. She delights in him alone. She is completely satisfied with his love. She charges again to the young women to guard their hearts and wait for the blessedness of committed love. Likewise, we are truly satisfied when our hearts are committed to Jesus.

This reveals the type of love that we should have towards Jesus Christ, our Savior. Jesus loves us with a deep compassion. When some one asked, “How much does Jesus love us, they spread out both of their arms and said, “This much”. Jesus loved us so much that he died on the cross of our sins. He loves us so much that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our hearts. He loves us so much that he says, surely I am with you to the end of the age. Right now my heart hurts and it aches. It is hard to feel the “warm fuzzy feelings” of the love of God. But I know that Jesus loves me. I am going through a tough time but I know that he is with me and he is seeing me through this all. And one day I will come out of it stronger, rooted and built up in him. It is faith in Jesus’ presence and faith in his love that sustains me during these trying and difficult times and gives me hope. I will get through. The pieces will fall together in good places. Thank you Lord.

I pray that my love for Jesus may be as passionate as the female personality in this passage. I need to focus on him and not on my own problems. I need to dwell in him each and every day. I need to pray to Jesus and nurture this type of relationship. Most of all I need to focus and meditate on the love of God, the grace of God. We love because he first loved us. I pray to have such a great love for God and create an environment where others can discover the love of God for themselves.

Part 2: A Love As Strong As Death (8:5-14).

8:5-14, “Friends 5 Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved? She Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labor gave you birth. 6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. 7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned. …..She 14 Come away, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains”

There are a lot of things said in these verses but the main point can be found in verse 6, “6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. 7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away…” God draws us to himself with cords of everlasting love. Just as when death calls, then we must go, also, when we hear God’s voice of love, we are inextricably drawn to him. God’s jealousy for his people, it is the evidence of his love and it is the mark of his rightful claim of possession. (his jealousy is not like human jealousy which is destructive.) Love cannot be quenched by many waters. And no one can buy love. Even Solomon, who had enough wealth to buy many wives and concubines, did not have enough wealth to buy love (7).

I learn here that love is very powerful. When love draws then none can resist. God’s love is irresistible. When someone tastes the love of God they cannot resist. The problem why young people are not drawn to the love of God is because they do not see or taste the love of God. God’s love is irresistible to those who see and taste his love. Maybe the problem is that people are not seeing and tasting the love of Jesus. Maybe they are not seeing it in us and through us. If they did see it through us, then they would be drawn to it and can not resist it. I pray that the love of God may be revealed through me and my family to others so that they may be drawn to Jesus Christ and the Gospel.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your love for me, which is stronger than death. My love is small, but I want to give it to you. Kindle it daily at the fire of your love. May others be attracted to your love.

One Word: God’s love is as strong as death