12-4-2021

 Good Morning All!

Song of Solomon 2:6; “His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me!”

    Love is a many splendored things. I know; not very original but it is true. Love is a wondrous thing. It evokes tenderness, gentleness, a sense of longing and a desire to be with that someone. Our verse comes from that beautiful poetic book of the Bible. It is a love song between Solomon and his bride. It doesn’t get a lot of read because it is, to some, a little racy.  It actually is just a very intimate conversation between a husband, who loves his wife with an intoxicating love and a bride who returns that same love.

    The book, this love song, is about intimacy not sex and there is a difference. Intimacy is about a closeness to another person. It is an interpersonal relationship which, on some levels, is very private. It is also subtle. It is about a spouse who is seated in a chair and the other spouse comes by and gently rubs their hand on the back or arm or neck of the other one. It is about sharing with each other and having no walls between you. It is putting down the book or newspaper when your spouse comes in the room. It is looking into their eyes as they speak, and you hang on every word and listen and treasure. I see this most dramatically as I watch our elder members sit by the hospital bed of a very sick spouse. The intimacy of the marriage, for those who are blessed to have it, is a place of safety and protection.

    The Song of Solomon and actually the entire Bible tells us of God desiring to have this intimate relationship with man.  This story of this incredible love begins at creation. Have you ever noticed that in Genesis, chapters one and two are both about creation? Some wonder if there were two creations but we miss the nuance and the shift. We miss it because we see “God” as “God” and we don’t see the differences in the way God is addressed.  In Genesis 1 through Genesis 2:3 God is addressed as “Elohim”. This means God Almighty. This describes God as the One who is over all and has power and dominion and sits high in the heavens.

    But then we see a subtle change in Genesis 2:4. Here we see God addressed as “Yahweh.”  This is God’s personal name. You can tell that is what is being used when you read your Bible and the Bible has “LORD” or “LORD God.”  Lord is capitalized. This is the name of God who is personal. There is a lot of debate over what this name means. Roughly it means “I am that I am” or “I am the God that you need”.  For me, although it is not very theological, I like to think of Yahweh as “the One who gets his hands dirty.”  Notice in Genesis 1 that God spoke, and things happened. But in Genesis 2 we see God reaching down into the dirt and shaping and forming Adam. God gets his hands dirty. Then we see where God breathes into Adam the breath of life; Adam gets a soul. So, we can envision God with dirt on his hands and his mouth as he brings life to Adam in an intimate act. This is upfront and personal.

    Yahweh “the LORD God” is closely and intimately involved in our lives. He gently and tenderly loves us and provides for us. He sustains us through his creative and re-creative acts. He rescues us from sin and when we could do nothing about it; He sent Jesus to suffer in our place so we would not have to. All of the pain, suffering and sin were placed on the back of Jesus so you and I would not have to bear it.  This wonderful, intimate love which God has for you He shows to us every day with his gentle love and tender touch. In that tender touch; as he gently places one hand behind our head as he embraces us with the other, we find safety, security, and hope.

O Father, the world can often be cold and uncaring and those whom we love may be distant. Shower us we pray with your tender love, mercy unbounding and grace beyond all measure. Bring love and intimacy into the lives of your children that we may so ever love you. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret