{"id":31749,"date":"2024-07-02T22:00:44","date_gmt":"2024-07-03T05:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/song_of_songs-5_1-16-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-06-25T21:52:32","modified_gmt":"2024-06-26T04:52:32","slug":"song_of_songs-6_1-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/song_of_songs-6_1-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Sweeter and Stronger Over Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Song of Songs 6:1-13 \u00a0 (CLICK HERE FOR\u00a0BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Song of Songs 6:1-13.\u00a0 I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Song<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Songs<\/em><\/strong>\u00a06<\/em><\/strong>:1-3 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n1\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>Where has your lover gone, most beautiful\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0women? Which way did your lover turn, that we may look for him with you?\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>
\n2\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0My lover has gone down to his garden, to the beds\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0spices, to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies.\u00a0<\/em>
\n3\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0I am my lover’s and my lover is mine; he browses among the lilies.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 1-3:\u00a0 Earlier in chapter 5 (see verses\u00a06-8), the girl could not find her lover, whether that means not knowing his physical whereabouts or, perhaps more likely, feeling emotionally distant from him.\u00a0 \u00a0But here in verse 1 when the girl\u2019s friends ask her again where her lover has gone, the girl responds by saying, \u201cMy lover has gone down to his garden, to the bed\u00a0of\u00a0spices, to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies.\u00a0 I am my lover\u2019s and my lover is mine\u201d (v2-3).\u00a0 The girl\u2019s response shows that whatever conflict she and her husband had experienced in chapter 5 has now been resolved.\u00a0 The reference to going down into the garden and browsing among the lilies is likely a reference to she and her husband resuming sexual relations with one another once again.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0Conflict, when dealt with in the right way, can actually lead two people to a closer and stronger relationship than before.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Also, the fact that the chorus\u00a0of\u00a0girls now call the girl \u201cmost beautiful\u00a0of\u00a0women\u201d shows that the girl now has elevated status in their eyes because she is the object\u00a0of\u00a0this man\u2019s affection.\u00a0 Likewise,\u00a0the fact that you are greatly loved by God speaks to your elevated worth and status.\u00a0 If ever you wonder how much your worth, just look at the cross where Jesus gave His life for you.\u00a0 You are\u00a0<\/strong>of<\/strong>\u00a0tremendous worth in God\u2019s sight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Song<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Songs<\/em><\/strong>\u00a06<\/em><\/strong>:4-9 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, majestic as troops with banners.\u00a0<\/em>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me. Your hair is like a flock\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0goats descending from Gilead.\u00a0<\/em>
\n6<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0Your teeth are like a flock\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0sheep coming up from the washing. Each has its twin, not one\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0them is alone.\u00a0<\/em>
\n7\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Your temples behind your veil are like the halves\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0a pomegranate.\u00a0<\/em>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number;\u00a0<\/em>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0her mother, the favorite\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 4-9:\u00a0\u00a0 Here the husband praises his wife\u2019s beauty once again.\u00a0 The fact that he repeats many\u00a0of\u00a0the same words that he said on their wedding night in chapter 4 shows that his love for her has not changed.\u00a0 To him, she is just as beautiful today as she was on their wedding night.\u00a0 From this I learn two things:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Husbands,\u00a0go out\u00a0<\/strong>of<\/strong>\u00a0your way, long after the wedding and the honeymoon are over, to tell your wife how beautiful she is and how much she means to you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Wives, do the same for your husbands.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Just as the guy\u2019s love for the girl did not change, Jesus\u2019 love for you His church and His bride does not change.<\/strong>\u00a0 Despite going through conflicts and difficult seasons, Jesus\u2019 love for you remains passionate and strong.<\/p>\n

Song<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Songs<\/em><\/strong>\u00a06<\/em><\/strong>:10-12 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n10\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Who is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession?\u00a0<\/em>
\n11\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0I went down to the grove\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.\u00a0<\/em>
\n12\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>\u00a0Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0my people.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 10-12:\u00a0 It is not totally clear whether verses 10-12 are being said by the guy or the girl.\u00a0 (In the mind\u00a0of\u00a0at least one commentator, verse 10 might even be said by the chorus\u00a0of\u00a0girls.)\u00a0 In any event, verses 11-12 depict how the guy and the girl have reconciled and are excited about one another again.\u00a0 The phrase \u201cmy desire set me among the royal chariots\u00a0of\u00a0my people\u201d (v12) paints the exciting, fun picture\u00a0of\u00a0the girl being placed in the guy\u2019s vehicle (a \u201croyal chariot\u201d) and the two\u00a0of\u00a0them are riding off together.\u00a0 If that\u2019s not what is literally happening, at least that\u2019s how excited and joyful they feel.<\/p>\n

Song<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Songs<\/em><\/strong>\u00a06<\/em><\/strong>:13 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n13\u00a0<\/sup><\/em>Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!<\/em>
\nWhy would you gaze on the Shulammite as on the dance\u00a0<\/em>of\u00a0Mahanaim?<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 13:\u00a0 The chorus\u00a0of\u00a0girls urge the girl to \u201ccome back\u201d instead\u00a0of\u00a0running away with her husband again.\u00a0 In response, the reply from the girl (or maybe the guy), \u201cWhy would you gaze\u201d (v13) is probably a fun way\u00a0of\u00a0acknowledgment how much they are in love.\u00a0 It’s as if the girl (or the guy) is saying, \u201cYeah we\u2019re really happy, and we\u2019re really into each other\u201d.<\/p>\n

By the way, when the chorus\u00a0of\u00a0girls calls her \u201cO Shulammite\u201d, this may be most appropriately translated \u201cSolomoness\u201d.\u00a0 Remember that the guy in this\u00a0song\u00a0is called Solomon and so it could be that the chorus\u00a0of\u00a0girls is starting to call the girl \u201cSolomoness\u201d as a nickname.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0 Is it possible for a couple that has been married for a while to maintain this kind\u00a0of\u00a0excitement for one another? \u00a0When a couple is intentional and thoughtful about resolving conflict, when they take the time to encourage one another and to meet each other\u2019s needs, their relationship can actually grow sweeter over time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesus, thank You that Your love for me is the same yesterday, today and forever.\u00a0 Your love does not wane over time and it doesn\u2019t change with the seasons.\u00a0 I pray that through the seasons we would always be passionately in love with one another.\u00a0 I also pray for every married person reading this GAME sharing, that they would take the time to invest in their marriage, to resolve conflict and to encourage their spouse.\u00a0 May their marriage grow sweeter and stronger with time.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Song of Songs 6:1-13.\u00a0 I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit\u2019s help, then read the GAME sharing below.\u00a0 Let’s go!<\/p>\n

Song\u00a0of\u00a0Songs\u00a06:1-3 (NIV)\u00a0
\n1\u00a0Where has your lover gone, most beautiful\u00a0of\u00a0women? Which way did your lover turn, that we may look for him with you?\u00a0\u00a0
\n2\u00a0\u00a0My lover has gone down to his garden, to the beds\u00a0of\u00a0spices, to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies.\u00a0
\n3\u00a0\u00a0I am my lover’s and my lover is mine; he browses among the lilies.
\n\u00a0
\nOn verses 1-3:\u00a0 Earlier in chapter 5 (see verses\u00a06-8), the girl could not find her lover, whether that means not knowing his physical whereabouts or, perhaps more likely, feeling emotionally distant from him.\u00a0 \u00a0But here in verse 1 when the girl\u2019s friends ask her again where her lover has gone, the girl responds by saying, \u201cMy lover has gone down to his garden, to the bed\u00a0of\u00a0spices, to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies.\u00a0 I am my lover\u2019s and my lover is mine\u201d (v2-3).\u00a0 The girl\u2019s response shows that whatever conflict she and her husband had experienced in chapter 5 has now been resolved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31751,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31749"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31752,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31749\/revisions\/31752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}