Has someone hurt or disappointed you? Did your parent let you down? Did your spouse say something insensitive? Is your spouse not romantic enough at times? Did a friend say something hurtful? Did a stranger insult you? There are many ways that people can leave our hearts lacking for love. The wonderful news is that God will fulfill those needs; and, truly, He is the only one who can fully do that!
Pain and disappointment can be very hard to bear. In those times, hopefully, we are especially inclined to look to God for those needs to be met. We cry out to Him, “Help me, God!” Sometimes the pain is too great for words; and tears, groans, and sighs are all we have. If we turn to Him, He is there for us no matter how eloquent or not we are.
Has someone hurt or disappointed you? The truth is that God is the best One who can meet our spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical needs. He loves us more than anyone!!! Song of Solomon 2:3 (King James Version) speaks of Jesus, “As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” Jesus is our Apple Tree of life! Other people, compared to Him, are “trees of the wood.” He is the One who has the nourishment our hearts and souls need! True, He uses people to minister to us; however, He is our source of love and sustenance. If you believe in Jesus, He is your Bridegroom; and you are His bride! Ephesians 5:25-26 says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” Verse 29 of that same chapter says, “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church….” Did you get that? Jesus loves you, nourishes, and cherishes you like a man does his wife! If you are a man, you may or may not feel comfortable with that notion. However, you will be happy to receive His love, nourishment, and cherishing!
Song of Solomon chapter 2 goes on to say in verse 4, “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Jesus and God’s love for you is a banquet! Jesus will be your home, or house, even in this “wilderness” of life! He will one day announce to everyone over you, as if with a banner, this is my beloved! He will one day proudly show others His beautiful bride, whom He made spotless and without wrinkle! Back to Ephesians 5, verse 27 speaks of Jesus, ‘That he might present it [the church] to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy and without blemish.” One day Jesus will perfect us and deliver us from sin and the sin nature! Hallelujah!!! This will happen at death or at the rapture, whichever comes first!
Song of Solomon 2 goes on to say in verse 5, “Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.” The one speaking here is the Shulamite, Solomon’s bride, a type of Israel as well as a type of the church. She is crying out for her Beloved to sustain her in her lovesickness. She is needy for love and wants him to sustain her while she waits to marry him. Do your prayers to Jesus feel like that Shulamite? “Jesus, I need you! Please sustain me in this life because I am lovesick for You!”
Song of Solomons 2:6 gives us the happy answer to her and our plea: “His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.” Jesus will embrace you when you are needy for love and lacking! When you are longing for Him to return and aren’t receiving from people all the love you need, He will cover you with His “wings” where you will find refuge!
Psalm 91:1-4 says,
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
What a wonderful chapter! If you like the verses you just read, I encourage you to read the rest of that psalm!
There is no cozier place than under the shadow of God’s and Jesus’ wings! In fact, I will be so bold as to say that God will not allow us to get our needs met completely from people so that we will turn to Him and find Him to be our “enough”! What a sweet place of refuge in the arms of Jesus and under His wings!!! We feel this “embrace” through the Holy Spirit.
Now we are only receiving the downpayment of the Holy Spirit, bringing us God’s love. Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us,
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.” The Holy Spirit is our pledge, or downpayment, of our inheritance. Friends, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!!! COME, LORD JESUS!!! Jesus is going to return with more of His incredible love to give us, and we are headed for heaven!!! “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’…” Revelation 22:17a. “…Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20b.
Has someone hurt or disappointed you? Are you depressed about it? I encourage you to spend some time thanking God and worshipping Him. Often, getting your mind on God will lift you right up out of that depression! I know that firsthand. Praise and worship will take you out of your circumstances and help you get caught up in His glorious Presence!
If you want to delve more into the Jesus and His love for you as your Bridegroom, I encourage you to read the commentary on the Song of Solomon my husband, Charlie, and I wrote. It is on my website. Here is the link:
A Romantic Journey With Jesus: Commentary On The Song Of Solomon – Bride Of Jesus Ministry
Here is a fun song that talks about the subject of this blog:
(448) Cody Carnes – Ain’t Nobody (Official Live Video) – YouTube
Listen to this amazing, beautiful song about this subject from Michael Card!
(448) I Will Bring You Home – Michael Card – w lyrics – YouTube