Text: Song of Songs 7:10-8:4, Genesis 3:14-19, Psalm 85:10
When asked how he and my grandmother met, my grandfather would tell us, “I came to town and asked where the prettiest girl lived.” The rest, as they say, was history.
Although I never learned the actual details of their first date, I can imagine Papa was far more nervous than he’d let on, and that Grandmother had spent the afternoon prior positioning the rollers in her hair just so. I don’t know what they ate for dinner or what jokes made them laugh, but I do know it led to a second date, and that Papa became a regular visitor and eventual husband to the prettiest girl in town. What began as an invitation to dinner became a call and a promise to choose their relationship again and again.
Invitations are exciting, but second invitations are better. In Song of Songs, we see Solomon and Shulamith enjoy a spring day together twice, but much has happened between these two significant days. This is where, if we were to fold Song of Songs in half, the two spring days would serve almost as a call and response.
The first spring day, in chapter 2, is during courtship—Solomon invites Shulamith to leave her house and enjoy a spring day with him, and concludes with a request to hear her voice (2:14). The second, in chapters 7-8, is during marriage, and this time it’s Shulamith extending the invitation to enjoy a new spring day, concluding with a request for intimacy (8:14).
Aren’t you glad Solomon didn’t stop with their “happily ever after” wedding? The second half of this book is filled with the good stuff, the kind of stories their grandchildren got to witness. Shulamith’s invitation is also extended to us, an opportunity to see a past the lavish celebration to what’s next. There, we find that though the lovers find themselves in a “new” spring season, the covenant has come with them, just as they promised. They kept choosing each other. Self-sacrificing love has built the trustworthy covenant borders in which intimate love can reside.
We’re not told precisely what kept their love alive day to day. Maybe one offered to do dishes and the other loved to put away laundry. The Song gives us tiny glimpses into their trials, but a little research behind their names may give us a clue as to how their partnership worked. “Solomon” means “peace-giver,” and “Shulamith” means “peace-receiver,” illustrating the active ebb and flow of an intimate relationship.
Active, too, is the relationship between Christ and the Church. He gives peace; we receive it. As Solomon and Shulamith remain belonging to one another in their faithfulness, so we remain Christ’s in His faithfulness to us.
“Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace.”
-Psalm 85:10
God is actively keeping His promises to us. He continues to invite us into His covenant, reminding us of His faithful love again and again. We’re invited to enjoy fresh mercies and kept promises with Him today, tomorrow, and forever. Thanks be to God.
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35 thoughts on "Invitation to Enjoy a New Spring Day"
Amen. Lord I receive your peace.
Hey Kaitlin,
I came here for the picture and found some great points. I didn’t know that about their names.
I wanted to ask, Is it okay if I use that picture for my phone background
Moriah
Just a thought: as a person who has spent half her life in an abusive marriage, I can understand the desire to balk. When it is a one-way street, it is NOT a picture of God’s perfect love. Perhaps the person who balked has been unfortunate enough to experience this?
This was such a great reminder! As a couple you really do need to keep choosing each other. To always choose to serve and to love each other every day! Just as God loves us and we serve Him :)!
Wow love that line at the end “God is actively keeping His promises to us.”
Often I perceive the ‘in-transit’ promises as remaining stagnant at that on-its-way status. But NO, God is ACTIVELY working and doing to keep and fulfill those promises to us! Even though I cannot always tell what he is doing, I can choose to have faith that he is working. What a sweet reminder this afternoon of his active working!! Lord, I am looking forward to more reminders of your sweet and faithful love!!!
Yes, me too! God WILL do wonderful things! Having patience and remaining faith is the hard part!
“Yes, the Lord will give what is good”
Ps.85:12
This is beautiful! “Self-sacrificing love has built the trustworthy covenant borders in which intimate love can reside.”
I recently mentioned something about making “sacrifices” in a marriage and was balked at. I love this quote and it’s so true! Sacrifice builds intimacy
http://www.in-due-time.com
Thanks for the link Caroline! The post that came up was so fitting for me today! Be blessed!
Even after 11 days of reading how I am loved and beautiful and pursued- I got to the end of the reading today and wished it would just tell me what to DO! Oh man, my faithless heart. Within seconds of that thought the Holy Spirit said, “Oh but I have. Be loved and pursue me like you pursued your mate. Call me 12 times or more a day. Scribble my name on every piece of paper you touch. Sit dreaming of my touch, my voice, my skill as a creator.” There is the “DO” of Songs.
This is beautiful and just what I needed to read. Thank you.
Amen
This is so ‘bang on’. Thank you for sharing this!
Oh, Heidi. I am so thankful you shared this. Holy Spirit spoke so loudly to me through your post! Thank you thank you for sharing that with us! Just beautiful.
Ah yes!
Love this!
I am struggling with believing this love is for me. Please pray for me to receive the joy of my salvation and the peace Christ offers me. Thank you,Sisters.
This love is for you Cynthia, and it never runs out. You will never be unloved. Praying for you :*
Hi Cynthia, I was watching this now, it’s Louie Giglio’s message from Passion 2016. You can watch the whole thing if you want, but if you go to minute 47, I think it might encourage you. Louie Giglio speaks so profoundly and it has really hit me right to my core and helped me understand how much Jesus loves me. Praying for you now!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0z38v378Ru4
Awesome message! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the encouragement!
I absolutely love the insight into the meanings of their names in today’s reading! It so beautifully portrays a piece of relationship with Christ: “He gives peace; we receive it.” So amazing!
http://www.littlelightonahill.com
Beautiful words. We can learn a lot from the way God loves us. We’re not perfect so there’s no doubt we may make mistakes… but when dealing with romantic relationships specifically and marriage, the best way to love is the way Christ does with us. We tend to lose sight of that once the beginning is gone. We start to get comfortable, we start to forget what it was like before or worse, we start to wish we went back to the beginning. God, however, has shown us an unchanging, unconditional, consistent love that’s always been there. He loves us the same as He did when He created us, if not MORE. We need to learn to love our partners with that same consistency and abundance. God is nothing but Faithful and Wonderful. He always keeps His promises. We need to do the same not only for Him, but for the man He has chosen to be our life partner <3
Thank you for the reminder!
I’m doing my reading while riding in the car on I-95 and as I was Journaling about God being faithful in His promises to me, I looked out the window and there was a HUGE full rainbow and it was SO bright!!! I love God’s ways of wooing me and reminding me of His love and His faithfulness.
Love this, Rebekah! He’s so faithful. xo
Thank you!!! This reading brought me to tears this morning….tears of joy! As I read, I was reminded just how much God loves us and seeks us out. This past few weeks my heart has ached ….and anxiety took over. I prayed day and night, but have only felt more confused and hurt. This beautifully written devotion was truly a message from God, that He is faithful…He is love! He keeps His promises! Praise God!
This is so good, Kaitlin. “We remain Christ’s in His faithfulness to us.” I can be disappointingly unfaithful to Him but He is never unfaithful to me. He continues to love me, care for me, discipline me, woo me. Again and again. He is Who He says He is. This attribute of His just slays me. I raise my arms in praise and adoration this morning. Come, my ever faithful Beloved. Cue the worship music. It’s time to dance!
I love the line at the end, “God is ACTIVELY keeping His promises to us.” Not that He will eventually fulfill them. No, He is currently, right now, working and keeping those promises to us. As I go through this time of waiting and having to learn some major patience (which I’ve never been good at), it’s so encouraging to be reminded that He is good RIGHT NOW, not just when He brings us His promised gifts and joys.
Yes! There’s a worship song we’ve started singing that has a line “all His promises are yes and amen.” God is faithful.
It’s a long version of it, but here’s a link if you’re interested. https://youtu.be/m1dr268AwH8
Thank you!
Just heard this song for the first time. Thank you for sharing. It’s my new favorite song of the day :)
Thank you for that link! So faithful He is to have you write that! Resting in the promises and His faithfulness. ♡
Thanks for the song. Music always makes God’s word come alive for me. Amen to that!