At the end of the first chapter of the Song of Solomon, we find his fiance' attending a great banquet of the king to whom she was to be married. As she looks at the great King Solomon in all his royal splendor, her mind is captured by the wonder and strength within the object of her love.
I wonder how many of the wives of Solomon had become accustomed to life in one of the most famous courts of the world? How many had become bored with the splendor they were given? How many had wondered outside of the walls of the palace in search for something different; substituting the worthless for the magnificent just because it felt more exciting, more exhilarating, somehow better.
As the Shulamite fiance' stares googly-eyed at the object of her love, and wonders into the realm of fantasy about the marriage which is to come, Solomon notices her.
In verse fifteen, Solomon seems to suddenly feel his fiance' staring with wonder-filled eyes at him, and says to her, "How beautiful you are, my darling; how beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves." (nasb) To which his fiance', shaking herself gently from the realm of fantasy to enter into focus upon the real-time interaction of love replies, "How handsome you are, my beloved, and so pleasant! Indeed, our couch is luxuriant!" (1:15-16, nasb) In a moment, all the excitement of deeply seeded fantasy is expressed in words like, "handsome," "pleasant," "luxuriant." But oh how those words meant so much more than what might be seen on the surface.
It sounds silly in our modern context, doesn't it? "You're beautiful!" "You're eyes are like _________!" "I can't believe how handsome you are!" "The way you take care of me turns me on!"
In the daily grind of our daily lives, we often forget to notice the splendor of love, and life, and beauty. It's rarely the case that beauty does not exist around us, but that the negative, the monstrous, the ugly is so much more exciting to talk about somehow.
Today, pay attention. Pay attention to the good more than the bad. Be distracted and intoxicated by the blessings of life and love. Look around you, perhaps even right there next to you at the dinner table and notice someone other than yourself; and then, tell them what you see. TELL THEM WHAT YOU SEE. The intoxication of that which is holy can bring focus to that which is crucial, beneficial, and good.
Try it, if even just for a moment... you might just be surprised at how amazing life can be!
The Peace of Christ to you today!
Pastor John
Great word! I think I might try this over dinner!!
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