Monk's Musings: To be Loved and to Love
Beacon Bible Camp
My lover is mine, and I am his… I am my lover’s and my lover is mine…
I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me… Song of Songs 2:16, 6:3, 7:10
February is the month in which many couples celebrate their love on Valentine’s day. It’s an ancient tradition, and like all traditions it can be enjoyed appropriately or abused. Whether we commemorate it or not, the Bible does have quite a lot to say about human love and attraction. The Song of Songs is an entire book of the Old Testament dedicated to exploring the love between man and woman. In the three verses above, the Beloved rejoices in the exclusive relationship she has with her Lover. Marriage between one man and one woman, joined until death, is the ideal that Jesus taught his disciples. Those of us who are married are called to live out the responsibility and privilege of loving our spouse with faithfulness and sacrificial love, putting the other ahead of our own desires.
The prophets in the Old Testament also likened marriage to the covenant relationship between God and his People. And in the New Testament, Paul says that marriage is a shadow of the relationship between Jesus Christ and his Church. So each one of us who are disciples of Christ, whether married or single, can apply the verses above to our relationship with the Lord Jesus. We can claim Him as our own, and rejoice in the fact that we belong to Him. We can rest confidently knowing that He desires us, and nothing, neither death nor life, nor “anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom 8:38-39.
May the Lord help us to grow in understanding more of his love, and to respond with our own love in return. Not a sentimental temporary infatuation, but a lasting love that shows itself by our committed deeds and life decisions that honour Him. Neither does He want from us a slavish grim obedience that acts out of cold duty, but the willing and joyful service of a Bride that is in love with her Husband and rejoices to give herself fully to the One who gave himself on the cross for her! May God help us so to love and so to live this month!
On behalf of all the Beacon Staff,
Andrew ‘Monk’ Nunn