Song of Songs 4:1 - 5:1

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Read Song of Songs 4:1 - 5:1

Verse chosen for meditation: Song of Solomon 4:9 ESV

You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.

 

Reflect

 

Is sexual intimacy necessarily a bad word?

 

How would you then describe your portrait of love?

 

What are some of the signs of intimacy from this passage?

 

Relate

 

Intimacy is a derivative of the Latin word 'intimus', meaning "innermost" or "deepest". In its simplest form, intimacy is the degree of closeness of the bond that exists between two persons, or more correctly, two lovers.

 

Taken in this context, the Song of Solomon is often preached as a book about marriage. Many, however, believe that the Song of Solomon is in fact an allegory for the love that Christ has for his bride.

 

To start off, we need to shrug off any puritanical view that we might hold about sexual intimacy. Sex is not necessarily a bad word although this passage has often been used to speak out against pre - marital and extra - marital sex. The premise is that sex should be confined exclusively to the married couple.

 

Here, the passage in the Song of Solomon speaks poetically about the consummation of marriage on the wedding night, first from the groom's perspective, then the bride's and back to the groom. It ends supposedly with the guests at the wedding dinner as was perhaps the custom of the day.

 

The groom goes on to paint a beautiful portrait of his love in lyrical poetry as he highlights the seven distinctive yet intimate features of his bride. The picture is obviously one of perfection in the eyes of the groom as the number seven suggests.

 

No doubt, having a positive mental picture of the love of one's life can surely serve to heighten the overall intimacy. But since perfection doesn't exist at this point, only Christ as the lover could speak of the perfection of his bride on the day of spiritual consummation. Then again, it can be argued that beauty or in this case 'perfection' lies in the eyes of the beholder.

 

From this passage, there are also signs of intimacy that can be gleaned from the poetic exchanges between the lovers. Some of these include the ability of:

 

Being vulnerable around each other, especially with the nakedness.

 

Not being put off by the raw honesty though they are usually compliments, but even when they are not.

 

Not feeling judged by the other in mostly unspoken ways.

 

Respecting each other's boundaries even with the closeness and intimacy.

 

Making each other a priority, seeking first to satisfy the other.

 

Having an unspoken language like the simple glance of the eyes.

 

I believe the take - home message from all this is simply to learn what it means to know God. For the word 'know' is sometimes used to describe intimacy between a man and a woman in the bible.

 

The rich imagery in the passage has more than aptly described the close intimacy of such a relationship by using sexual intimacy as a parallel.

 

It is to know God in the deepest and innermost possible way. That's what intimacy with God is all about - to know God.

 

Rest

 

Lord, there is a longing deep inside me that only you can fill. I ask that you take me deeper, to be deeper in love with you. So, take me deeper than I've ever been before. For I just want to love you more and more even as I know you more and more.

 

Naville Chia