A Godly Desire and Consummation

Song of Songs 2:1-7

1 I am the rose of Sharon,
And the lily of the valleys.

The Beloved

2 Like a lily among thorns,
So is my love among the daughters.

The Shulamite

3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods,
So is my beloved among the sons.
I sat down in his shade with great delight,
And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

The Shulamite to the Daughters of Jerusalem

4 He brought me to the banqueting house,
And his banner over me was love.

5 Sustain me with cakes of raisins,
Refresh me with apples,
For I am lovesick.

6 His left hand is under my head,
And his right hand embraces me.

7 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.

The song of all songs continues as the Shulamite woman is wooed.  She sees herself as desired and equates her image as the rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valleys, both extremely lovely and desirable blooms to the onlooker.  The over in pursuit echoes the lily part as representing his love for her even while she is growing out of the harsh thorns of life around her.  This reminds me of how my Lord loves me in spite of my thorns of sin and surroundings, seeing me for who I am as one created in His image and so wanted by the lover of my soul.  The woman then continues by complementing him as the fruit of life hidden in the forest, a great discovery indeed.  She found him and sat in the protective shade of his company with great delight and found his fruit sweet to eat.  This is like our finding protection under the Christ of God as our Beloved who calls His bride to Himself and cares for her so!  Even the onlookers hear her joy in shouting about his love’s banner of victory and strength over her, and must have been excited as well.  She spoke of his call to dine with him as our Lord calls us to dine at the marriage supper of the Lamb we eagerly anticipate under hat banner of love for each of us in Christ.  Like the Shulamite woman, we are lovesick in Christ as He sustains us and gives us all daily food from His word.  His embrace of love is spiritual passion and holds us to Himself in such loving watchcare.  The charge she made to the others watching was not to hastily enter into such love until it is right, not stirring themselves up until then.  It is also a warning to us on a physical and emotional level not to get intimately involved with a lover until it is pleasing to God, which means with another one He loves (a believer to be equally yoked with) in the proper speak and time, that is in marriage with an undefiled bed (Hebrews 13:4).  May we love God in Christ and our spouse as a joyful union of a man and woman in these ways of a godly desire and consummation.