Song of Solomon contains one of the most profound statements about love that I have ever read or heard: “Love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.” As we read the Song of Solomon it is indeed worth remembering, as many interpreters have, that God describes his church as his bride (Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 19:7-9, 21:1-2). The greatest love in the universe is the love that God has for his people. So this statement is true of God’s love if it is true of any love at all. It was God’s love that led Jesus Christ to embrace death for us. God was showing us the extent of his love for us in Christ. It is so great that he was prepared to pay in death to have us come back to him. God’s love for you cannot be quenched, there is nothing you can do to stop God loving you. This also means that we have the ability to grieve God deeply and indeed we often do. We arouse the jealousy of God as we put other things before him and we cause him immeasurable sadness when we spurn his outstretched hand of love. It is important to be mindful of this. When we fail, we often imagine that God is angry and that he will therefore reject us. God does get angry but not in that way. His anger flows from his grief and jealousy which in turn flows from his love. Because of this there is nothing God desires more than to have us back.
Thank God for his great love for you.
Read Song of Solomon 8-9
