Up until this point we have discovered what is like to have the sweetness of intimacy with Jesus through experiencing His Word, knowing our identity, and spending time with Him much like the relationship the Shulamite has with her Shepherd-King. She has learned the importance of choosing time with her King over earthly wants and desires and the healing that soul-satisfying love of Jesus can give.
But this week, the Shulamite is offered an opportunity to experience growth and maturity and a deepening in her relationship with her Bridegroom. In Her Garden, we can imagine that the Shulamite is presented the next stepping-stone in her walk with her King. Let’s see where Jesus is inviting us to go this week.
If you want to go to the next stepping-stone, it’s going to require some movement and some action. Perhaps even getting out of the place of comfort with me that we know and love so well. The Foundation of His Unrelenting Love established in the quiet place with Jesus with Jesus is paramount. But in our journey He calls us to Arise and experience maturity with Him.
Song of Songs 2:8
Listen! I hear my lover’s voice.
I know it’s him coming to me—
leaping with joy over mountains,
skipping in love over the hills that separate us, [l]
to come to me.
Here we can view that the Hills and the Mountains are obstacles that seem to get in the way of the Shulamite’s relationship with her King. They may be
Compromises, Limited Understanding, Knowledge that needs to be Increased, Fears, Unbelief, Weaknesses, Failures, Any of the plans that the enemy has against you. But the maiden’s view of Her King’s ability to overcome those mountains is victorious. Her King comes to her skipping over all of those difficulties with love. He is not one bit intimidated by her inadequacies.
Song of Songs 2:9
Let me describe him:
he is graceful as a gazelle,
swift as a wild stag.
Now he comes closer,
even to the places where I hide. [m]
He gazes into my soul,
peering through the portal
as he blossoms within my heart.
For growth and maturity, the Shulamite recognizes the voice of her King. Growth will require movement, stepping out of her comfort zone, leaving the cozy place, and will most likely require a sacrifice. The stepping-stones to maturity are often risky, inconvenient, and require a whole lot of dying to one’s self. Brave and courageous faith awaits those who are willing to run with the Shepherd King.
The Grace and Gazelle verses are referring to the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. And we, as His Bride have an opportunity to accept that we are joined with him and have that same resurrecting power with in us and with Him we can overcome any and every obstacle. As the Bride describes her King she speaks of the hidden places and a wall that is between her and her King. And as I thought of my own heart, I realized all of the broken and hidden places of pain and rejection and abandonment that I protect are places that Jesus longs to heal with His gentle love.
This scripture paints a portrait of the Bridegroom peering into our souls, and when the Spirit first showed me what Jesus sees when He peers into my heart truly surprised me and gave me the courage to take the next stepping stone towards growth and maturity in Jesus. God showed me that He defines me not by the portion of my heart that reflects unyieldnesses to His Spirit, but to the portion of my heart that longs to know Him. All of our weakness is covered by His love.
It is His unrelenting, gentle and kind love that draws us away from sinful choices, from self-seeking self-centeredness, from pain, unbelief and fear to experience something so much greater. He has personally stood patiently behind my walls of pain, some for many years, waiting for me to yield to Him and to allow Him to love me into freedom. Growth is venturing out of our comfort zones to encounter Jesus in a place of weakness and trust.
Taking the next Stepping Stone of Growth can be an opportunity of the display of God and New Life through these 8 prophetic signs 2 found tucked in verses 2: 11-13.
- The season has changed between winter and ended dormancy.
- Rains have soaked the earth. Removed dryness and Dust Prepped the ground for New Growth.
- Bright Blossoming Flowers appear before the fruit.
- Seasons of Pruning-God are confidently at work to prune from our lives what have held us back in the winter season.
- Cooing of doves sing to our spirit and awaken us to worship to prepare us for His approach.
- Filling the air with songs to awaken and guide your celebration and the season you have passed through.
- Can you discern the new day of destiny breaking forth around you? Fear and unbelief has been removed. Light illuminates darkness we can see breakthrough.
- Budding vines of new life blooming everywhere. Thriving grace of God and the scent of spring fill the air.
With the foundation of our relationship with Jesus, the comfort of knowing His love and experiencing His goodness, I know I am ready for the next season, the next portion of my journey with Him. Knowing there are challenges and risks and acts of bravery to leave my comfort zones, the promises of new life, and pruning, and the flowers and fruit and breakthrough spur me on to take the step of faith. Are you ready to arise and experience new life? Let’s go!
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