As a church we have thought a lot lately about developing community. Henri Nouwen said that we will never have true community until we have first settled the issue of solitude and developed our secret life with the Lord.
This morning I was meditating in the Song of Songs 3:1-5; the last few lines of the second poem which begins at 2:8.
This morning I was meditating in the Song of Songs 3:1-5; the last few lines of the second poem which begins at 2:8.
“By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. 2 “I will rise now,” I said, “And go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him, but I did not find him. 3 The watchmen who go about the city found me, to whom I said, “Have you seen the one I love?” 4 Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, until I had brought him to the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her who conceived me. 5 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.”
I was meditating on her statement, “I will rise now, I said, And go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” The difference between the first poem and the second are clear. The first poem begins with his love showered on her. There is no lack of intimacy there is no struggle. The poem is filled with country images, vineyards, valleys, trees, flowers, blue skies and she is constantly being showered with kisses. This reminds me of the honeymoon period in our spiritual life; answered prayer abounds, experiences in his presence are common. It’s like one big renewal meeting. If we are not careful we will think that this is the way that things are supposed to be all the time that this is what spiritual maturity looks like.
Then we come to the second poem, the image is a stark urban landscape at night. In Hebrew culture a woman is not to be out alone on the street without a man or older woman accompanying her so there is an implied risk involved. The situation has changed dramatically. The lover is nowhere to be found. Any of us who have attempted to follow Jesus in a serious way for an extended period of time have experienced times of the absence of his presence. We know by scripture that he never leaves us nor forsakes us but there are times when we can only believe that by faith. This, however is not the point that I am trying to get at. My point is our tendency to seek God’s presence as someone who is “out there somewhere.” When the Shulamite failed to find her lover in the bed (the place of intimacy) she went on a search for him “out there.” She failed to find him out there and even consulted with the watchmen.
I am convinced, as are many of the better writers on the Song that the watchmen represent visible spiritual leaders. It seems that when we pass through some apparent difficulties in our spiritual development that there is no one out there that can help us. This too is God’s doing, there are times that he wants us to seek him by ourselves and not to go to some other person who will often not understand what is happening. He is jealous for our undivided attention. But, the problem is seeking God outside as someone who lives in another place and just passes by now and then to visit. We need to cultivate a sense of being “God inside minded.”
Our devotional life needs to begin with a revelation of being his habitation. (2Cor.3:16, 6:16) Many of us are all too consumed with successful prayer being measured by whether or not and how much we felt like we were being touched by the Holy Spirit. That’s allowing the flesh to be a barometer for the activity of the Spirit, and will inevitably result in frustration or deception. Frustration if we don’t feel his presence and think we should and deception if we think we are actually always feeling his presence and we are not. The way to come close to him that is pleasing to him is by faith, approaching him who dwells on the inside of us.
As soon as the Shulamite leaves the presence of the watchmen she immediately finds her lover, she wraps her arms around him and will not let him go. The imagery here is clear, she takes him to her mother’s house, —the house where she was born. The Hebrew word for house used here is bayith, it simply means house but has a wide variety of uses. It is used in Lev. 16:2 for the Holy of Holies, ha-quodesh bayith poreketh, literally, the holiest house with curtains. As the shekenah, the manifested visible presence of Yahweh dwelt behind the curtained enclosure of the Holy of Holies, now it has come to dwell on earth in the presence of Jesus the Messiah who said “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19) Then subsequently his disciples, his body, the called out people, the Church became the temple. No wonder that Rabbi Aqiba uttered the famous statement, “For in the entire world there is nothing to equal the day on which the Song of Solomon was given to Israel… All the Writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is most Holy” (Mishna Yadaim 3:5) He must have been able to perceive by the Holy Spirit something beyond five erotic love poems. The house when looked at in the spirit represents the human spirit made new by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in the recreated human spirit. This is where true communion begins, where intimacy takes place. The poet helps us to understand, however subtly, the need to be always connected with him through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and not to wander around looking for him out in the streets of the city.
Some believers become “conference junkies” they go from meeting to meeting looking for some new spiritual thrill. There is no end to the thrills that are provided. Some today can make gold dust and gems appear in their meetings. A close friend of mine who spent a long time in India before coming to Christ said that some of the gurus in India can do better, they can actually make fire fall from heaven.
Others have moved their entire families across thousands of miles in an attempt to position themselves where “God is moving.” Most of them have ended up sadly disappointed. Personally, I came to the place where conferences dried up. I would sit in meeting after meeting and get absolutely nothing. Finally I realized that I needed to seek the presence of the Lord directly, by the Spirit and the Word. No books no conferences just spending time with him. Now I only go to a conference if Jesus tells us too. Actually I would rather spend a few days in a quiet secluded location and just hang out with Jesus than to hear the best speakers in the land.
What brings you close to the Lord? Are you content with pre-digested manna, or are you in hot pursuit of the man Christ Jesus? Are you seeking that which comes only when heaven touches earth, or can you be content with what someone else says that Jesus is saying? I want to encourage you to press in to Jesus, to spend time in solitude and silence, to get away for a half-day retreat or if you can all day. Spend time in his presence. There is nothing like it, no encouragement like hearing him whisper to your heart.
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