Key Verses: Song of Solomon 4:10
How fair is your love,
My sister, my spouse!
How much better than wine is your love,
And the scent of your perfumes
Than all spices!

Whether we read this poem as simply a love story between Solomon and the lovely Shulamite maiden, or a portrayal of the love between God and His people, we will not find a more tender and moving expression of love. The young woman, having missed her opportunity to welcome her beloved on his unexpected visit, goes out to search for him. Deep within her heart, she is certain of his love.

Could it be that we, who say we love God, do not respond to His presence immediately, and we miss the relationship He desires to have with us. Like the Shulamite we can search in many places for Him, but the message is clear in the last verse of our reading (6:13a): We are called to “Return, return…Return, return!” Let us return to the place where we first met Jesus, not to the physical location, but the place of repentance as did Peter after he had been challenged for the third time by a waitress in the courtyard of the High Priest (read Luke 22:47-62).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Dear Lord, like the Shulamite, I realize that I don’t deserve Your love, but I also recognize that You have chosen to love me. Please forgive me for not responding instantly to Your presence and Your love. I pray for grace to learn to return and to remain constantly in Your presence. I thank You that You have promised to never leave me nor forsake me. I’ve read this Lord, both in Deuteronomy and quoted in Hebrews 13:5. I pray this in the Name of the One who said, “I am with you always,” the Lord Jesus Himself, Amen!!! (Matthew 28:18-20)

100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Just before I awoke this morning, I had a dream. Like the Shulamite says in the song, “I sleep, but my heart is awake.” Her dream involved searching for her beloved, and of being beaten and wounded during her search (5:2-7). My dream was of a current person, constantly in the news, Mayor Rob Ford of Toronto. His “veil,” cover up, has been ripped off and surely he has been severely beaten and wounded by his own poor decisions and by the enemy of his soul. In my dream I saw him restored, in good shape physically, and he was telling of his return to the God of his fathers. He was sharing that he had encountered Jesus and his life had been transformed. He was smiling and people were beginning to respect him once again, because he had changed so dramatically for the better. Dream over, and I awoke. I thought, “Wouldn’t that be great!” I’ve tried to call him and I wrote to him about a month ago. I offered to come and see him if he was interested, but I’ve not heard back. I don’t know whether or not he has any connection with a pastor who could help him. He really, really needs Jesus. Let’s all keep praying for him to return. He did say on TV that his father was a Bible teacher.

Yours for the “return” to God of all who have known Him as children but have run far away, where they have been beaten and wounded,

David