Sunday, December 15, 2019

MY BELOVED

Today’s Reading: Song of Solomon 7-8

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

Sheltered from the sun, a lady sitting in a tree keeps watch over her donkey at Nazareth Village. The Shulamite maiden in our readings was such a farm girl.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verses: Song of Solomon 7:10, 8:6

I am my beloved’s and his desire is toward me…Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm.

 

For the culture of 3,000 years ago, the imagery used to describe the bride’s beauty was understood. For example, “Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon” may seem humorous to us, but to them it meant,”exquisitely sculptured and well formed.” Solomon considered her entire body to be beautiful from her feet up to he hair on her head. For us, we can learn that complimenting our spouse is good for a happy life. Our first key verse is a wonderful statement which describes a relationship of true wedded love, and it is also true in our love for God and His love for us. He loves us with an everlasting love, and may we do the same toward Him. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

In much of middle-eastern culture, a brother and sister may kiss in public, but never a married couple (8:1). Our second key verse can be understood to be as an engagement and wedding rings in our culture today. A mark, perhaps a tattoo, was placed on the arm of the bride. A tattoo is there for one’s entire life; unfortunately a wedding ring can be removed. May God help us to keep our vows “until death do us part.” In 8:8-10 our reading takes us from the Shulamite’s childhood to her maturity as a woman. Her brothers protected her purity as a “wall” around about her. May our families form a shield of protection, particularly around our youth.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Lord, I love You with all my heart. I have loved ones for whom I care most deeply. May I be as a wall of wisdom, love, and protection around them and not an over protection, which would hinder their development into all that they can be. I pray this in the Name of the One who made His own decision at 12 to stay behind in the Temple, a Boy (young Man) who “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men,” Jesus, Himself (Luke 2:52). Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

That verse, Luke 2:52, about the maturing of Jesus from a young boy has been the motto of our Circle Square Ranches across Canada since their first year of operation in 1978. Crossroads gave them as a gift to “Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship,” which has operated Christian summer camps since 1928. They are doing a great job in reaching more and more children and teens for Christ. An excellent Christmas gift for children would be a week at camp next summer. Check out “Pioneer Camps” and “Circle Square Ranches.” Click here for information on purchasing a week at camp as a surprise gift. Good suggestion!

Tomorrow, God willing, we move back to the New Testament and start the book of Hebrews. Hebrews ties together the two Covenants (Testaments) of God with His human family in a powerful way that shows clearly that in Messiah (Hebrew), or Christ (Greek), Jesus is the absolutely essential Bridge over which all must cross in order to embrace the eternal plan of redemption and everlasting life available to all humanity. Acts 4:5-12 is an excellent reading for our consideration as we move into Hebrews.

Yours because we can say, “My Beloved is mine and I am His” (Song of Songs 2:16a),

David

9 thoughts on “Sunday, December 15, 2019

  1. Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul!
    Thank You, Lord, for making me whole!
    Thank You, Lord, for giving to me
    Thy great salvation so rich and free!

    Lord, You are so good to us every day. Please give us the grace to trust in You, to follow You, to love You, to be genuine… You hate hypocrisy, so have your way in all your people, so we will be yours, not just when we’re alone with You, but when we’re with others. Please strengthen all your children today, Father, we ask in Jesus’s name, amen

  2. Thank you folk for your prayers for me last night. I couldn’t get to church this morning but I felt well enough to go to the nursing home & then sit through their church service @ 2 pm. I will be seeing my Dr Thursday (she called me to come in) and I will discuss these events with her. Thank you so very much.

    • God bless you Doreen; we pray that the visit will go well; please keep us posted; praise the Lord that you saw your sister and worshipped at their service; WELL DONE! Doreen you are a great inspiration to us all; you know and we know that God is right beside you all the time, He has your best interest at heart; PRAISE HIM; PRAISE HIM; PRAISE HIM; THANK HIM; THANK HIM; THANK HIM; AMEN AMEN AMEN

  3. TY Lord; have the room for rent Lord; need $550,000.00 to pay off debts;help others;help family;invest rest for a better income and continue to serve You Lord where I can; helping those who need just a nudge, Thank You Lord; bless neighbours;remove all cancer from Jim & Sherrie;bless children;their children;bless the seniors;bless out First Responders, Police;ambulance;fire department;nurses;doctors; thank you for an emergency room at the hospital in Jesus Name I Pray amen

  4. Bless you Sah for being a caring person. I would hand your debts over to the Lord (give them to Him) & with confidence in Him, let Him guide you every step of the way. I do pray that He bring the one of His choosing to rent your spare room. Blessings. Stay close to Him – He loves you & He is our Provider. Amen

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