Sometimes we complicate things in life, don’t you think so? Or I should say, sometimes it’s all about ourselves. That’s what immaturity is about I guess. Me first. All me. I can only see me me me, my my my needs. What did you say? But did you hear me? Enough said.
Before I delve deeper into my own reflective mode, let’s ponder on what God’s word say about maturity in Christ. The book of Song of Songs depicts the journey of a believer, growing from immaturity (desiring God but still overwhelmed with “me-first” mentality – my hurts, my pain, my comfort etc) to maturity in Christ (she realizes that it is all about God and wanting His desires to be her desires)… It outlines in the clearest way, the progression of a believer growing from being self-centered to being God-centered…
I shall zoom in on two verses in this post, to illustrate how we journey from immaturity to (more) maturity. Is it about knowing more of God’s word? That is important. Is it about gritting our teeth and obeying the Lord at all costs? There is a place for faith. I submit to you my observation – that it is the REVELATION of Jesus in our lives that will bring us from strength to strength. Our faith is a revelatory faith – Christ revealed to us and in us. It is good to read and know (we must). It is important to live out (we should). But have we encountered God? Have we touched the truth? It takes God to love and obey God. We need to press in for revelation of God in our lives, else it would be all cognitive and functional. When God strikes our heart (inner man), we are able to see light and thus live a life from inside out. Christianity is not about doing. It’s about becoming. Becoming Christ-like!
The Two Verses... and the Progression...
“Until the day breaks
And the shadows flee away
Turn, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle
Or a young stag
Upon the mountains of Bether.” ~ Song 2:17
“Until the day breaks
And the shadows flee away,
I will go on my way to the
Mountain of myrrh
And o the hill of frankincense.” ~ Song 4:6
In both verses, the Shulamite woman (depicting a believer) acknowledges the dark shadows in her heart (until the day breaks and the shadow flees away). These are areas of her life that are not fully in the light. The daybreak (breakthrough) comes in the morning when new light appears. It is the time when the dark shadows or the gray areas in her life will be gone. Also, the darkest hour of the night is the hour just before dawn… oh how God uses nature to speak to us about pressing in when all seems so dark and gray… for the light is coming!
In Song 2:17, she asked Jesus to turn and in Song 4:6, she responded "I will go (arise)". So what, and why the difference in responses? What happened in between to bring the Shulamite woman from one who disobeyed in fear to one who rises up in obedience?
The Revelation of Jesus...
In the book of the Song of Songs, Jesus reveals 8 different facets of His personality. Each of them reveals a unique aspect of His relationship with the Bride, the Shulamite woman. As her journey begins, she encountered the Counseling Shepherd (Song 1:8), the Affectionate Father (Song 1:12-2:6) and the Sovereign King (Song 2:8-9). As Jesus challenged her to rise up in deep partnership with Him in Songs 2:14, she shrinks back in fear and refuses to obey Him. It was out of fear /immaturity and not rebellion, for God looks at our heart…
Divine Chatisement (Song 3:1-5)
The Shulamite woman understands that her compromise will lead to fruit in her vineyard being destroyed or in separation (Bether) in her intimacy with God. Jesus turns and goes away for a season.
Jesus honors our voluntary decision to draw back. Our relationship with Jesus is based on voluntary love. Because of her disobedience and yielding to her fears, God lovingly withdrew His presence, until she repents and cries out in obedience (Song 3:2).
The Cherished Heart of the Bridegroom (Song 4:1-8)
After a season of divine discipline, Jesus reveals His cherished heart and calls the Bride fair (or beautiful) while she is still maturing in her obedience and faith. In Song 4:1-5, Jesus prophetically affirms 8 “budding virtues” in the young Bride’s life. He equips us in our weakness by affirmations that overpower Satan’s accusations against us (Rev. 12:10). As Jesus affirms her, He is also saying to her that these 8 character traits are what He is looking for and thus developing in her:
1) Dove eyes: eyes of single-minded devotion and revelation.
2) Hair like goats: dedication to God.
3) Teeth like shorn sheep: chewing the meat of the Word.
4) Lips like scarlet: speech that is redemptive.
5) Kisses of the mouth: intimacy with God.
6) Veiled temples (i.e. cheeks / countenance): emotions impacted by the grace of God.
7) Neck like David’s tower: setting our will to obey God.
8) Breasts like fawns: the power to edify and nurture others.
Song 4:6 shows the Bride’s fearless and wholehearted commitment. She responds to Jesus’ affirmations by setting her heart to obey His call to come with Him to the mountains in Song 2:8-13. She now embraces the cross by going to the mountain of myrrh. She makes a firm decision to leave the comfort zone to go up the mountain by saying “I will go!” The Bride joins the King in spiritual warfare as He calls her His spouse for the first time in the Song. With her new commitment to go to the mountain, she now carries her heart as a loyal Bride.
For the next 4 chapters in the Song, we see her developing mature love for the Lord. (Song 4:8)
We are created to live in the high places with Jesus in the extravagant devotion of bridal partnership. We can trust in God's leadership and nurturing in our lives. So what are you thinking about now? Let’s take the leap.
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