God Loves Us More

¹⁶ His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem. (Song of Solomon 5:16)

            Have you ever seen those couples at a restaurant who are leaning in toward each other or even sitting on the same side of the booth? One will speak and the other will listen intently to what they are saying. Generally that type of focus is a result of some intense admiration. My wife and I did that when we first started dating. I would put my arm around her or hold her hand for an entire movie. It seems that when you are that taken with someone, you just can't seem to get enough of what they have to say. You find yourself hanging on every word.

            It is the beloved’s words that are sweetest to the female speaker. His words are what she longs for and enjoys in verse above. The more she hears those words, the more she comes to say, “This is my love. This is my friend.”

            It’s a similar situation in our relationship with Christ. To keep our love and devotion for our Lord healthy and strong, the lines of communication have to be kept open. The WWII soldier is a great example of this. Before cell phones and emails, the man overseas had to write letters to his sweetheart. His words were what assured her of his love and calmed her anxieties. He knew that sending his thoughts home on paper, full of his words of affection for her, would keep her going while he was away. His sentiments made her miss him. And in missing him, she wanted to be with him more and more. The words are what brought them close, even though they were miles, continents apart.

            Jesus’ words to us are found in the Bible. We call it the Word of God. I have even heard it called ‘66 love letters’ to God’s children. By spending time with His words, we get to know Him. The more we come to know Him, the more we find that we love Him. In time, we begin to realize that not only has Christ become the greatest love of our lives, He has become, and is, our Friend. May you love God with all your heart and love others as yourself this week!! And may God rain blessings in your life, my loved ones!!