Vineyard Days – The Way of the Beloved

Who is there that does not love a good story? The most intriguing, I have found, is the one that draws us into the fabric of the narrative being woven. As if we have stepped into the very pages…

Such is the Song of Solomon. It is the beautiful and challenging account of the Lord’s desire to draw believers into a love relationship with Him like that of a bridegroom with his bride. In a day when the very institution of earthly marriage is being challenged and defamed, how much more compelling is the call of the Heavenly Bridegroom to those who will hear His voice – and respond.

His call is to the married and to the single. To the widowed and to the never-married. To females and to males; for in this love story everything and everyone is feminine to His masculine. He initiates; we respond.

The way of the Beloved is not a way of intellectual understanding. It is a journey of the heart. To be approached in any lesser way is to miss the depths of the truths contained in this eternal love story.

I remember hearing preaching that portrayed this biblical sonnet as a human love affair. It usually generated responses such as shuffling feet, clearing of throats, and embarrassed chuckles. Later, it seemed best to relegate it to engaged couples as part of their pre-marital counseling. Both approaches overlooked the richness of the courtship of the Lamb and His Bride.

When, through the Lord’s timely providence, I was introduced to this book from the perspective of the development of the Bride of Christ, which included my individual spiritual growth, divine understanding began to increase and expand.

Psalm 42:7 tells us, “Deep calls to deep.” Deep is the Voice of the Bridegroom calling to the deep of our spirit – the heart of who we are. He has never stopped calling down through the ages to seek out those who would respond to His desire to be joined together to Him, not just working for Him. Only a will merged into His, will bring us into His chambers, that place of intimacy and communion for which we were created…and without which we will not be satisfied.

The Song of Songs records the unfolding processes of God that lead believers in that upward climb from new birth to spiritual maturity. As we explore the vineyard through the eyes of the Beloved and the Lover, the king and the daughters of Jerusalem, we have need of the Spirit of Revelation, the blessed Holy Spirit.

Not every  believer will choose to make the journey into the heart of intimacy with Christ, the Bridegroom King. Those who do will be made ready for the wedding of the Lamb. (Revelation 19:7)

Our attitudes and responses to the Lord will be unveiled as we consider the same of the Bride to the Bridegroom. The Shulamite, loving her Shepherd King, had available to her far more than her initial salvation experience. Thankfully for us, we have her example as she awakened to her desire for Him.

She progressively learned, and so must we, that the only One who can satisfy is our Bridegroom King.

Much of life is spent in other voices calling and urging us to find satisfaction in this, that, or the other. Our journey starts, as did hers, when we recognize we are hungry for more and cannot generate substance in and of ourselves.

The whole of the Song is a masterpiece created and conducted by the Lord. We do not even have the luxury of thinking we control our response. It is the creative act of God within us, just as it was in the Beginning…

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).”  (Rom 11:36 AMP)

All she could do is cry out, “Draw me!” Then make a commitment to Him: “We will run after Thee.”

With that simple but powerful prayer of desire, she turned from neglect of her own vineyard. Now could begin the cultivation “toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

There is no higher calling (upward invitation) than the consummation of the Bridegroom with His Bride who has made herself ready to rule and reign with Him. That Day is forthcoming.

In the meantime, the vineyard awaits…

Gracefully Free

 

Shammahs Field LLC/Shammah Ministries is the biblical counseling, life coaching, and spiritual growth ministry entrusted to Wayne & Nancy Bentz. You can learn more about the resources they have to offer at www.shammahsfield.com.