I love February. I have a very personal reason, of course:), but even putting that aside, it’s got that holiday inspiring both awe and angst: Valentine’s Day. Yes, friends, February is all about luuuvvv—or the lack of it.
On the "awe" side," we hear so many cute stories about romantic love stemming from February 14. An atmosphere of affection is promoted, leading men especially to catch an unusual kind of romantic wind that results in heart-warming tales of love confessions and proposals (although personally, I think the proposals go better with warm weather and gardens in full bloom). But either way, the month often leaves hearts aflutter.
This month, I want to do another series, and this time, I want to tackle love. As you’re probably well aware, the Word of God has its own love story, too. Actually, it is more than just a story—it’s a love manual: Song of Songs. And this month, it will be my muse--excuse me, The Muse.
Until about last year, Song of Songs was one of those books of the Bible I had never really spent much time in.
My earliest memories of the it are from somewhere in the middle of elementary school, when prepubescent guys at my Christian school realized that vivid descriptions of breasts and other female parts could be found there (rather than just magazines they had swiped from girls). They shared this revelation with everyone, of course pointing out that they were merely "studying the Word," as we had been so instructed.
When I got a little older I also read through it a couple times on my own, in high school then college, but I didn't use any study guides—or hear any full-fledged sermons on the book really dissecting it. Then last year a couple sermon series on it made me really see a picture of the kind of love so many chase but never find. But, of course, it’s described in His Word.
Following the messages I’ve wanted to reread the book on my own. Now, in the “Love Month,” is the perfect time!
Depending on your familiarity with Song of Songs, you might know there is a lot of disagreement about the context and interpretation of the book. Some say it is the literal love story (in poetry) of King Solomon and the Shulammite woman, who is at least mentioned in chapter 6, verse 13, of the book. Others say that is preposterous; there are no two central characters; it’s a collection of poems—connected or not—literal or not—that may—or may not— be talking about certain real--or perhaps fictitious—people. There’s even more to the debate, but the point is that I don’t plan to engage in it here.
What fascinates me about the book, however, is that regardless of where people come out after endless exegesis, the practical applications of it, in my experience, always ends up being the same. I don’t know many other books of the Bible that have that result—if any.
As I read, I’m going to write about the descriptions of love, mostly in a romantic context, that strike me about the book. I’ll also try to avoid too much textual analysis and talk instead about love the feeling—that must be anchored in substance, as defined by God’s Word—but still engenders feeling nonetheless.
Welcome to the Love Talk. I think it’ll be fun!
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