Notes from 5/10/09 service:
Christianity is NOT a system of beliefs, but a relationship with a man, Jesus Christ. When we lose sight of this our souls wither and become consumed with vague and unsatisfied longings.
Song of Solomon (symbolic of New Testament truths...)
Chapter 2 -- How He loves us! Even in the place of being burnt-out and bruised, dealing with sin-issues and shame, even in the place of weakness God speaks love and affirmation over us. There are 84 affirmations in S.O.S He never demeans her! God loves us radically without ever demeaning or accusing us.
Chapter 3 -- Let's run together! Let's win some victories. She goes with Him knowing that it's better to be with Him in the mountains than without Him in her comfort zone.
Chapter 4 -- vs 9 "You have stolen my heart" (Make it personal! This is what God speaks to us. Believe it and let it affect your heart.) She's done nothing but offer him a sincere yes and He says, "you've ravished my heart," "Do you know the way you move me?" Even the smallest attempt to please Him ravishes His heart. He loves to tell us how much He loves us!!! He is captivated by a heart that desires to be beautiful to the Lord. A heart that says no to sin and yes to God over and over. The real issue is not the devil, he is just a paw. The real issue is whether or not the human heart will choose to love God. Will our hearts choose the Lord? Will we believe His love even in the face of trying circumstances, ceaseless accusations about God's character and our own failings. Believe His love!
"Blow on my garden." Whatever will bring pleasure to the King, be it hardships and pain or blessings and abundance, let it come! Let it blow on my life. WILL WE TRUST HIS LOVE?
Vs 16 Whatever happens, let it happen. Whatever would bring you pleasure, let it come. She's abandoned to Him because she trusts His leadership and His love and His voice of affirmation.
God knows how to mix the ingredients of our lives to make us into a suitable Bride for His son! None of it is in vain. None of it is wasted! We will tend our hearts and root out offense? Though our circumstances may be a prison around us, He has wrapped us in chords of kindness and surrounded us with the treasure of His faithfulness.
Chapter 5 Even though He invites her into a season of suffering, she trusts His leadership and His love. He knows what He is doing! His leadership in my life is excellent!!!
Vs 2 He's inviting her into the night, the season of sharing in the fellowship of his sufferings in order to deepen their love. She's getting it! The fact that he has shared in her humanity and that He loves her. He's experienced the night (suffering) and has invited her out into it. Jesus was despised, rejected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
There's another level of knowing Him -- knowing Him as the suffering servant. He invites us to deepen (Phil 3). He's taking us into a greater intimacy, but it is through the road of sufferings. Unfortunatley, it is in these hardships that many allow offense to come in. If the offense remains, the heart will become distant and cold toward the Lord. "I don't want to be offended when it's all coming down..."
She follows Him into the night. He is no longer there. This is when we can't hear God or see Him -- our circumstances are painful, our vision is limited -- we lack understanding and feel a sense of abandonment. He allows her to experience a sense of abandonment, just like Jesus did. This is fellowship with Jesus in the night.
Vs 6 The place of the dark night. God steps back and it deepens the love we share. It's for the purpose of drawing us into greater intimacy. Trust His leadership, even though you can't see Him, hear Him or feel Him.
Vs 7 In the middle of this dark season she experiences woundings from surrounding people -- the watchmen. Those she trusted were the very ones who wounded her. In her vulnerable state she was hurt by those she trusted. (ie. spiritual leaders, the church.)
The purpose of this season is to help us remember to find our sole attachment in Him, not people. Only Him. In the end we can only trust Him to sustain. Only He can truly comfort our hearts.
God will allow negative situations to help us refocus our lives on Him.
Vs 8 She's in the dark and she's been beaten. She goes to her friends and says, "if you find Him, tell Him I love Him." "Tell Him I'm not offended with Him." She endures that dark night and she says, "I'm not offended with you, Lord. I'm lovesick." WOW. This moves the heart of God in a way we cannot even comprehend.
SOS 5:10-16
She proclaims the knowledge of God in the night season. She affirms His leadership. She affirms His person, "the fairest of 10,000." She affirms Him with a heart that is unoffended. His head is the finest gold. His leadership is perfect.
Chapter 6 After this season of suffering and testing, He falls so madly in love with her, "you are as awesome as an army with banners." You have come forth victorious. "Turn your eyes from me, they overwhelm me." He is captivated by her love. She has a lovesick heart that is not offended with His ways and He is overwhelmed by her love for Him. In chapter 4 He is ravished, in chapter 6 He is overcome, and in chapter 8 He is overwhelmed. She emerges from this trial (the desert) with her eyes open. She sees her lover as the most beautiful one. Indeed He is.
No comments:
Post a Comment