Welcome to the Song of Songs 30 Day Retreat
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Prologue
Considered one of the greatest love songs in history, the Song of Songs appears in the Bible. Scholars believe that it describes the love between King Solomon, named simply as the 'Lover' and a local girl, the 'Beloved', who later became his wife. Parallels are often drawn between their relationship and the love that exists between God and ourselves.
The 10 Minute Daily Retreat invites you to participate in an online 30 Day Retreat, focusing on the Song of Songs. Throughout the month of January, we will reflect on verses from the Song, travelling with the Beloved and Lover in a quest to love and be loved by Jesus, the Son of the living God.
Day 1
1 The Song of Songs which is Solomon's Song. SS 1:1
It is not possible to include every verse within a 30 Day Retreat. If you look up the Song of Songs in the Old Testament of the bible, I am certain you will find a beautiful poem worthy of reflection.
King Solomon composed and collected thousands of songs and poems. He named his favourite piece the 'Song of Songs'. The poem is also known as the Song of Solomon. Whether he wrote it or commissioned a writer is unclear. Either way, scholars commonly believe that the Song of Songs describes Solomon's relationship with one of his wives.
A working class girl, the Beloved appears to lack the commitment or ability to respond equally to her prestigious Lover.
A number of theologians believe that the Song also describes the love between ourselves and God. The unfolding of the story reflects our own ambivalent relationship with Him. Like any love story, the writer includes obstacles and resolutions, holding the reader's attention until the conclusion. Therefore, it is a story of hope.
Despite the poverty of our love, the Lover's commitment to winning us over provides the grace we need to become truly one with Him.
It is the story of the Gospel. When read with the eyes of Faith, the reader grasps the message of God's unfailing love for us.
This 30 Day Retreat reflects upon the ebb and flow of our relationship with Jesus and His steadfast love for us. In it, we become the Beloved, and He, the Lover.
This is a journey of prayer. Whether we consider our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ as mature, budding or even non-existent, we have a God who desires to reveal Himself more deeply to us.
To participate in this 30 Day Retreat, we are exhorted to sit in God's presence for at least 10 Minutes per day.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Day 2
Beloved:
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine,
3 your anointing oils are fragrant,
your name is perfume poured out;
therefore the maidens love you.
4 Draw me after you, let us make haste.
The king has brought me into his chambers…
For your love is better than wine,
3 your anointing oils are fragrant,
your name is perfume poured out;
therefore the maidens love you.
4 Draw me after you, let us make haste.
The king has brought me into his chambers…
7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves,
where you pasture your flock,
where you make it lie down at noon;
where you pasture your flock,
where you make it lie down at noon;
Have you ever experienced the delight and pride of achieving a long pursued goal? It's almost impossible to contain our joy and eventually we have to share it with someone. Our story of success encourages others to press on and pursue their own goal.
In today's verses, the Beloved is bursting at the seams to tell us how amazing her Lover is. When someone enters into a new relationship with God, their wonder and enthusiasm are infectious.
It inspires us to reflect on our own spiritual journey. It may encourage us to grow deeper in our faith. Or it may enkindle a desire to experience God's love for the first time.
The glimmer of first love dulls as we face life's hurdles. The verses end with the Beloved asking the Lover to take her someplace else. Perhaps she no longer experiences Him in her everyday life. After a time, she loses sight of Him completely. She calls out, asking where she can find Him.
We're no different. There are times when we fail to hear His voice in the quiet of our prayer. We go through the motions of church, and exit as dry as we entered. We read His Word and are bored with having heard it too many times. We long for that freshness of our early spiritual experience.
If we can't find Him in all the usual places, it isn't because He's not there. Over the next 30 days, let's use the opportunity to rediscover God's love. Are we looking in the wrong places?
12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. 13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, 14 I will let you find me, says the Lord…' Jeremiah 29:12-14
Like the Beloved, let us ask the question, 'Lord, where can I find You?' In that moment, we provide an opening for God to respond.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 3
Lover:
8 If you do not know, O fairest among women,
follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your kidsbeside the shepherds’ tents.
follow the tracks of the flock, and pasture your kidsbeside the shepherds’ tents.
Have you ever 'put your foot in it' and wished you could pull it straight back out? In those moments, we often feel like hiding in shame or running a million miles. How shocked we feel when the victim of our clumsiness still thinks kindly of us. That despite our clumsiness, they believed in us enough to accept our humble apology.
Why then do we avoid God when we feel we have something to hide? Perhaps it's been ages since we prayed. Or maybe we carry resentment or regret and our heart is closed with shame.
In today's verse, the Lover reassures His Beloved that she is the fairest among women. Yet He is the King, how is it possible that He could love her, a mere labourer in her father's vineyard?
Despite our imperfection, we have a God who desires a deeply intimate relationship with us. The Lover provides His Beloved with clear instructions of where to find Him. Just as He's clear with us about how to find Him.
In the Gospels, people asked the same question. Listen to Jesus' response:
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14: 5-6
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 4
SS 2:1-2
SS 2:1-2
Beloved:
2 I am a rose[a] of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
Lover:
2 As a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens.
The Beloved declares that she is a mere wildflower, barely discernible in a valley of weeds. Her Lover declares otherwise. 'No, never just a wildflower, but a most beautiful lily amongst thorns.'
We are that lily, pure and loved because He first loved us. His Beloved is an exquisite lily because of His love.
Amongst the thorns and suffering in our life, He loves us. The Beloved is able to return His Love because He first loved her.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 5
In ballroom dancing one partner leads, and the other follows. The dancers are elegant and a delight to watch. If one refuses to be led, the pair end up stepping on each other's toes, and the dance can appear clumsy.
Unlike other verses, today's reading shows the Beloved allowing herself to be led into the banqueting hall. Not only did her Lover extend an invitation, He had prepared an atmosphere of celebration in her honour.
The Lover showered her with love, expressed through food, music, dancing, waving of ribbons or banners, and surrounded by family and friends.
Prayer can be a time to experience great joy and blessings. Some Christians listen to or play Praise and Worship music, some recite the Psalms or reflect on other uplifting verses from the bible. Others sit quietly, gazing on a candle or listening to the wind, the crash of waves or to birds calling to each other.
However you enter the presence of the living God, remember to allow Him to lead. An abundance of blessings awaits us.
4 Let him lead me to the banquet hall,
and let his banner over me be love. SS 2:4
and let his banner over me be love. SS 2:4
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Day 6
Beloved:
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Look, there he stands behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows,
looking through the lattice.
10 My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away; SS 2:9-10
Look, there he stands behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows,
looking through the lattice.
10 My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away; SS 2:9-10
Lover:
13 The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away.
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away.
14 O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,
in the covert of the cliff,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely. SS 2:13-14
in the covert of the cliff,
let me see your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely. SS 2:13-14
The Lover comes to the home of the Beloved. She watches Him from behind her window. He calls out to her, inviting her to come away with Him. This may even have been a marriage proposal.
He waits patiently, standing outside the Beloved's gate. The Lover reminds her of a gentle creature, such as a gazelle or young stag. There is nothing forceful about his invitation. His is a declaration of love.
He calls out again, and He waits. The Beloved ignores His call.
Do we hear God's call to follow Him? He promises to bring light into the darkness of our life if we listen and turn to Him.
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you. 
Day 7
Beloved:
16 My beloved is mine and I am his; he pastures his flock among the lilies.17 Until the day breathes and the shadows flee,
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on the cleft mountains.[a]
turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle or a young stag on the cleft mountains.[a]
The Lover calls the Beloved to come away with Him, but she refuses. She turns Him away, telling Him to come back when the night has passed and the morning breaks. SS 2:17
Why does she do that? At the beginning of the verse, she acknowledges their mutual love. 'My Lover is mine and I am His.' SS 2:16
Perhaps the Beloved still felt unworthy to be with the King. Perhaps if she just had a little more time, she might feel ready.
In the darkest moments of our life, we too may feel unworthy of His love, and push Him away.
Like a gazelle or a young stag, her Lover turned away, retreating to the cleft of the hills. SS 2:17 He doesn’t retract His invitation. He doesn’t reject her. He goes away and waits.
Jesus invites us to follow Him, but He doesn’t force us.
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money[a] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. Luke 18:22-23
Do we cling to riches? They may be less tangible than material wealth. Do we refuse to give up a few moments of our time to sit in prayer, or attend church regularly?
Do we refuse to let go of our animosity towards someone? Do we have unconfessed sin that fills us with shame? Is there an aspect of our lifestyle that we know is not in God's order?
Let us sit in silence and ask the Lord to show us the riches that impede us from following Him.
Let us sit in silence and ask the Lord to show us the riches that impede us from following Him.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you. 
Day 8
Beloved
3 Upon my bed at night
I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.[a]
2 “I will rise now and go about the city,
in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my soul loves.”
I sought him, but found him not.
3 The sentinels found me,
as they went about in the city.
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
4 Scarcely had I passed them,
when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go
I sought him whom my soul loves;
I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer.[a]
2 “I will rise now and go about the city,
in the streets and in the squares;
I will seek him whom my soul loves.”
I sought him, but found him not.
3 The sentinels found me,
as they went about in the city.
“Have you seen him whom my soul loves?”
4 Scarcely had I passed them,
when I found him whom my soul loves.
I held him, and would not let him go
until I brought him into my mother’s house,
and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
When the Lover disappears into the night, the Beloved realizes her mistake. Her soul aches with grief and she no longer ignores the depth of love they have for each other. Despite the dangers of the night, she gets up and searches for Him through the dark city streets.
The Lover allows her to find Him. She holds Him close, desperate to demonstrate her mutual feelings. Clasping hold of His hand, she turns and leads Him to her childhood home. With this action, she accepts the Lover's proposal and seeks the blessing of her family.
This scene reminds me of the parable of the 'Prodigal Son.' Jesus describes His father as a patient God. When we push Him away from the centre of our lives, He never leaves us. But we must turn to Him.
20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him…
23 '…And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.' Luke 15:20,23-24
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 9
Beloved
6 What is that coming up from the wilderness,
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
7Look, it is the litter of Solomon! SS 3: 6-7
Daughters of Jerusalem,11
come out. Look, O daughters of Zion,
at King Solomon,
at the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the gladness of his heart. SS 3:11
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
7Look, it is the litter of Solomon! SS 3: 6-7
Daughters of Jerusalem,11
come out. Look, O daughters of Zion,
at King Solomon,
at the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
on the day of the gladness of his heart. SS 3:11
Later in the Song of Songs we read a description of the Lover and Beloved's wedding. Some scholars believe that this procession describes the public celebration of their engagement.
I wonder how the Beloved felt about such an elaborate display of her Lover's affections.
In earlier verses we read how she struggled with her sense of inferiority. Solomon was a King! As she processed through the streets with Him, could she believe that He had truly chosen her to be His Bride?
In earlier verses we read how she struggled with her sense of inferiority. Solomon was a King! As she processed through the streets with Him, could she believe that He had truly chosen her to be His Bride?
The Beloved had done very little to deserve His love. The Lover had initiated the relationship. He had taken a backward step when she told Him she wasn’t ready. He had welcomed her back once she had reconsidered. He had invited her to a banquet in His palace, and now He processed through the public streets with her.
Do we consider ourselves unworthy of God's love? If so, we are correct. None of us are worthy. Jesus is our Lover. He alone makes us worthy.
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
While we are sinners, God invites us into a relationship with Him, through Jesus Christ, His son. What is our response?
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 10
Beloved
Beloved
2 I slept, but my heart was awake.
Listen! my beloved is knocking.
Listen! my beloved is knocking.
Lover
“Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one;
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night.”
“Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one;
for my head is wet with dew,
my locks with the drops of the night.”
Beloved
3 I had put off my garment;
how could I put it on again?
I had bathed my feet;
how could I soil them?
3 I had put off my garment;
how could I put it on again?
I had bathed my feet;
how could I soil them?
4 My beloved thrust his hand into the opening,
and my inmost being yearned for him.
On Day 9 the Beloved and Lover processed through the city streets, publicly celebrating their love.
In the subsequent passages, He uses exquisite images to describe how perfect she is. She has eyes like a dove, hair long and beautiful, lips a scarlet ribbon, her face an exotic fruit, her figure perfect.
Their relationship is more precious than wine, expensive perfume and rich spices. He describes exotic countries and once again extends an invitation to go with Him.
The Beloved responds with pleasure to His lavish love until we read today's passage.
Once again He is outside her home and invites her to come away with Him. This may be the moment when He wants to progress from engagement to marriage. His romantic declarations are a means to an end. True love moves beyond infatuation and can at times demand inconvenient choices.
The Beloved uses excuses not to go with Him. She is ready for bed. Why should she get up?
He is a bit more persistent this time and tries to open the gate. In her heart she can't deny her love for Him. If we go on to read the remainder of the passage, we discover she has left it too late.
He has gone.
Do we ever feel that we have missed a call? Perhaps it was to an area of ministry we find challenging or to go out of our way to love someone who annoys us.
The image we have here is a persistent Lover. In His eyes she is perfect and He has utter faith that she will one day listen to His call. In the silence listen to our Lover. Are there areas of our life where we simply refuse to do what is right?
When we repent, turn back to Him and seek Him out, we can expect another chance.
9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. Luke 11:9
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 11
Beloved
I looked for Him but did not find Him
The watchmen found me
As they made their rounds in the city
They beat me, they bruised me SS 5:7-8
I watched the news recently and heard about a refugee family who experienced tragedy soon after arriving in Australia. A terrible accident resulted in the death of their baby daughter. My heart breaks for those parents.
After living a life of unbelievable tension, fleeing the horrors of a holocaust, living for years in a tent in a refugee camp, settling into a country where blessings are mixed with racism, they undergo this?
The Beloved in today's verse experiences a similar night of darkness. She wanders aimlessly seeking her Lover. She is beaten and bruised by life's difficulties. Did this refugee family lose their child because the parents may have turned their back on God? Of course not! God doesn’t punish us with tragedies. We experience these as a result of living in an imperfect, sinful, world.
I'm sure we have experienced our own dark nights. In those times we need the encouragement of our faith filled community to gather around us and sustain us with their love and prayers. And when they are broken, it is our turn to do the same. It is our turn to 'tell Him that I am faint with love.'
When someone asks us to pray for them, honour their request and cry out on their behalf. And when we cry for our own troubles, ask for others to plead on our behalf.
I looked for Him but did not find Him.' SS 5:7-8
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 12
The women of Jerusalem
9 What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women?
What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us?
What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you thus adjure us?
Beloved
10 My beloved is all radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. SS 5:9-10
In the previous reflection, we read that the Beloved asked her friends to intercede for her in her quest to find her Lover. They now question her why He is so important.
Without hesitation, the Beloved describes all that is beautiful and good about Him. In the hour of our deepest darkness, God's Word constantly exhorts us to turn our minds and hearts to praise.
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, Rev 4:11
When we feel like we have lost our way in the darkness of life's struggle, is it worth putting in the effort to search for Him?
Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is worth everything we have.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls;46 on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13: 45-46
Praise may be the vehicle to reconnect us with Jesus.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 13
Lover
My dove, my perfect one, is the only one,
the darling of her mother,
flawless to her that bore her.
The maidens saw her and called her happy;
the queens and concubines also, and they praised her. SS 6:9
the darling of her mother,
flawless to her that bore her.
The maidens saw her and called her happy;
the queens and concubines also, and they praised her. SS 6:9
Despite her repeated rejection of her Lover, what does He do when they finally reunite? He welcomes her back, showering her with even more beautiful words.
He tells her that He is not the only one who thinks she's amazing and beautiful. So do their friends, her family, others who live in his palace, everyone!
After all, how could they not? He loved her. Why should others not feel the same?
Many of us struggle to accept praise. We know our own flaws, how is it possible that people think so well of us? Our Lover tells us otherwise. Regardless of our imperfections, we are always worthwhile and precious in His sight.
I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour…4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you,
I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Isaiah 43:4
I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. Isaiah 43:4
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 14
Lover
I went down to the nut orchard, to look at the blossoms of the valley,
to see whether the vines had budded, whether the pomegranates were in bloom.
to see whether the vines had budded, whether the pomegranates were in bloom.
Beloved12 Before I was aware, my fancy set me in a chariot beside my prince.[a] Song of Songs 6:11-12
'For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.' Ecclesiastes 3:1
When the Lover discovers that the flowers and fruit in his garden are blossoming, He decides it is time to marry. At last, the Beloved finds herself in the bridal chariot next to her groom. Imagine the Lover's delight that the one He has always loved is finally next to Him, as His wife!
Have we ever imagined that our Lord and God holds the same delight for us when we turn to Him? Let's turn our face to heaven and give thanks for just one blessing. Listen to His response.
The Lord, your God …
…he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you[a] in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
18 as on a day of festival.[b] Zephaniah 3:17-18
…he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you[a] in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
18 as on a day of festival.[b] Zephaniah 3:17-18
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 15
Lover
Lover
7 How graceful are your feet in sandals,
O queenly maiden!
Your rounded thighs are like jewels,
the work of a master hand. SS 7:1
O queenly maiden!
Your rounded thighs are like jewels,
the work of a master hand. SS 7:1
One of the most popular scriptures recited at a wedding appears in numerous places in the bible.
Now that King Solomon and His Lover are married, their intimacy is complete. The following chapter reflects the utter delight the couple have found in each other.
Throughout the Song of Songs the Beloved and Lover describe each other's physical qualities. To enable leaving and cleaving requires physical attraction. Whether anyone else finds a person beautiful is irrelevant. The Beloved and Lover's mutual joy and pleasure radiates from these stunning verses.
When we read testimony's from people who experience Jesus' love for the first time, the common thread is utter joy. If you have never experienced this for yourself, ask for it today. If you have fallen away from a life of faith, ask for forgiveness and re-experience the joy of reconciliation.
24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. John 16:24
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 16
Lover
5 Your head crowns you like Mt Carmel, SS 7:5
Unlike Israel, the setting for the Song, Australia doesn’t have a lot of mountains. In the heart of our country, we do have Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock.
Uluru is famous for its transforming colours. This magnificent rock reflects the changing light and shadows as the sun climbs the sky, peaks and descends.
The processing of our inner thoughts in our head undergoes a similar process. We present different parts of ourselves as we live out our day, our week, our stage of life.
Our Lover declares how He knows and loves every part of us. This is great news for us because some of our innermost thoughts aren’t always the most beautiful.
Unless we accept His unconditional love and stop hiding from Him, the irony is that these less than perfect aspects of ourselves are unlikely to change.
If you have the chance to read the whole of Psalm 139, you will find a magnificent declaration of the Psalmist acknowledging this truth.
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
The Psalmist closes with a prayer we may find useful to apply today.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is any wicked[c] way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.[d] Psalm 139: 23-24
test me and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is any wicked[c] way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.[d] Psalm 139: 23-24
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 17
2 Your navel is a rounded bowl
that never lacks mixed wine.
Your belly is a heap of wheat,
encircled with lilies. SS 7:2
that never lacks mixed wine.
Your belly is a heap of wheat,
encircled with lilies. SS 7:2
How honoured we feel if someone brings us flowers to acknowledge our hard work. Their beauty brings joy and delight and the action can make our work feel worthwhile.
The Lover describes His Beloved using images of wheat and grapes. To produce bread and wine from these ingredients requires hours of labour. The Lover acknowledges how devoted His Beloved is to her work.
Perhaps He brings lilies to her while she is working in the fields. Her labour inspires Him to view her as beautiful.
Hard work always serves a purpose. Our work might not involve producing wine from grapes or bread from wheat. It may include parenting our child to grow into an honourable adult. Or to participate in a church ministry to serve a need. Perhaps we manage our own business to create a product.
I suspect the way we carry out our work inspires delight in our Lover.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 18
Lover
I have a friend who creates an exquisite work of tapestry for each of her friends for their 30th birthday. There are two sides to a work of tapestry. Presented in a frame, her friends saw only the perfect piece.
In using the metaphor of tapestry, the King acknowledges not only the beauty of His Beloved's hair, but also the care, time and effort she put into its style.
Hard work goes on behind the scenes to create a successful outcome in any situation. To have that dedication acknowledged spurs us on.
Our spiritual life is no different, and we have a God who acknowledges and encourages us to grow in maturity until the end.
Read and reflect on this magnificent declaration St Paul makes as he nears the end of his life.
6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 19
Lover:
Lover:
How fair and pleasant you are,
O loved one, delectable maiden![a]
O loved one, delectable maiden![a]
Planning a wedding, or a honeymoon that entails travel, can be extremely stressful. Couples reveal new aspects of themselves to their spouse or fiancé, and these aren’t always pleasant.
The Lover chooses to focus on all that He finds pleasant in His bride. Being human, there is no doubt that she has provided many reasons for Him to find her unpleasant.
This reminds me of St Paul's words,
'8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 20
Lover:
Lover:
The Lover likens His Beloved to the best wine. Turning water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana was the first of Jesus' miracles.
9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
By comparing us, His Beloved, to the best wine, He declares how deeply He loves us. To Him, we are pleasing and excellent.
Just as Jesus love us, let's take a moment to reflect on all that we find good and pleasing about Him.
8 Finally, beloved,[a] whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about[b] these things.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Three times the Beloved declares that she and her Lover belong to each other. As the Song draws to an end, we have seen how deeply her love has matured.
With commitment comes responsibility. Belonging to Christ is a public declaration.
I listened to a well-known Gospel preacher as she shared her experience of popularity. Like famous people in other walks of life, the general community recognized her when she went about her daily business.
This made her accountable to live the Christian life faithfully. There was no room for her to hold grudges, intentionally be hurtful or have a lifestyle contrary to the teaching of Christ.
Yet her experience is slightly different than other popular personalities. If we belong to Christ, He provides us with the Grace to live out that commitment. He empowers us with His love.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 23
Beloved:
Read the scripture slowly.
Day 26
Beloved:
Day 22
Beloved
Beloved
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
do not stir up or awaken love
until it is ready! SS 8:4
until it is ready! SS 8:4
At a recent writing conference, I attended a session where a panel of published authors answered questions from emerging writers. One participant asked if any of the authors held a preference for one aspect of the writing journey over another.
One of the authors told us to enjoy it all. Enjoy the ride, she said. Whether you produce a saleable book or not, the process itself brings rewards.
When I read today's verse I think of Ecclesiastes 3:1
'For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.'
The Beloved tells her friends not to skip the process of achieving maturity. God plans everything according to His time. We are often too impatient to see God in the present. We lack the trust to believe that God actually does have our life in His hands.
Read the scripture slowly.
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 23
Beloved:
During the 1994 holocaust in Rwanda, Immaculee Ilibagiza hid in a tiny bathroom with nine other women for three months. In her story, 'Left to Tell,' she not only recalls the horrific events, but describes the sustaining impact of her faith.
Although barely able to move from lack of space, or speak for fear of discovery, her spiritual life flourished.
We who are marked with the seal of Christ have a sustaining force that no prison can ever crush. The Beloved wants to bear the seal, or personal watermark, of her Lover, and requests the same from Him. Once the seal is set, it cannot be removed.
This depth of union between ourselves and God is exactly what Jesus prayed for.
26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 24
Beloved:
For love is strong as death SS 8:6
I worked in the Mary Potter Hospice in my first position as a Registered Nurse. Initially I felt disconcerted by patients who appeared to 'choose' to die just as their loved one left the room.
I had the honour of holding their hand as they slipped away. I felt like I had somehow cheated the relative of that opportunity.
One of the Sisters pointed out that sometimes patients hang on to life to protect the people they love. When they are left on their own, they can finally let go. That is the power of love.
Even so, the strongest of human love will eventually be overcome by death.
What the great Lover offers us is a love that death has no power over whatsoever.
His love brings us to eternal life.
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
Where, O death, is your sting?”
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 25
Beloved:
for love is strong as death,
jealousy is cruel as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a most vehement flame. SS 8:6
jealousy is cruel as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a most vehement flame. SS 8:6
Twenty two years ago we had a house fire that destroyed a portion of our home and left the rest smoke damaged. To this day I pick up the odd belonging and smell the smoke. Fire has the power to destroy all that is valuable within seconds.
In the height of summer, all Australians are urged to heed fire danger warnings. A single spark can instigate a blaze that wreaks havoc for everything and everyone in its path.
Nothing and no one can survive a fire without bearing the charred scars. Victims mark their life with 'before and after' the fire. Properties require rebuilding, and land replanting.
Fire also results in regrowth.
The Beloved declares that love is even stronger than fire. God's love has the power to bring regrowth into devastated areas of our life, our relationships and our hearts.
Nothing can separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 26
Beloved:
Seemingly random flashes of hardship can throw our life into chaos. They come unexpectedly and test the core of our faith. How difficult it can be to hold fast to our belief in God's love during those times.
When I worked in a homeless centre I had the interesting task of caring for battered feet. As I listened to my client's sombre life stories, my stereotypical view of a homeless person vanished. I discovered that we are all just one step away from experiencing the same.
I imagined being new to town, with no income and my spouse became violent. If I wanted to flee, where could I go? Quite possibly to a homeless shelter - especially if I also had children.
When flashes of hardship halt us in our path, remember that God's love is infinitely stronger than any stumbling block life throws at us. The Word of God is one place where He flashes us those reminders.
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1
from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1
What a great and faithful God we have!
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 27
Beloved:
many waters cannot quench love,
When we are faced with difficult decisions or new ventures, do we trust that He will take us by the hand and make that crossing with us?
Day 27
Beloved:
neither can floods drown it. SS 8:7
Included in my circuit as a nurse in Papua New Guinea were a cluster of villages on the opposite bank of the West Sepik. The locals avoided crossing the river during the wild wet season.
To ensure the children received their immunizations before being cut off, our team of health workers scheduled a visit just as the dry season came to a close.
Unfortunately the weather turned while we were on the wrong side of the river. At the river's edge a decision had to be made. The footbridge had snapped beneath the weight of the raging foam. The only way to cross was to form a human chain.
Should we risk it? The alternative was to remain in the village for an unpredictable number of weeks. Without adequate supplies, this was a big ask. Especially for a non-Papuan such as myself. It was a calculated risk. The guides knew the river well and when they decided to cross I had no option but to place my trust in them.
I am no thrill seeker and this was the scariest experience of my life. The depth of that river almost touched my nose, and it spanned a fair distance. Clearly I survived.
The Lover declare His love is stronger than the wildest of rivers.
When we are faced with difficult decisions or new ventures, do we trust that He will take us by the hand and make that crossing with us?
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us,
Day 28
Beloved:
We've spent the past 27 days reflecting on God's faithful, all forgiving and powerful love. How do we find this love? The verse tells us today that we can't buy it. It's an utterly free gift.
In the famous Beatles lyrics, 'money can't buy me love,' the singer declares that he has no money to offer in exchange for his sweetheart's love. He hopes she will love him for who he is and not for what he has: because he has nothing.
If we were to offer everything we have to God to earn His love, it would never be enough. The good news is that He gives it to us for nothing.
5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— 9 not because of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4-10
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 29
Lover
Occasionally I drive past the Passionists' Monastery and sometimes, if I have a few moments, I'll stop and visit their Sacred Garden. Some of the community members there are previous colleagues from my time in PNG.
On one of my recent visits I stood chatting to the gardener, catching up on news from the mission.
The most beautiful chanting emanated from the top floor of the monastery and stopped me mid-sentence. Brother Jim smiled at my reaction and explained that they were the 'students,' (presumably novices).
In this final section of the Song, the Lover invites His Beloved to sing Him a song. He is proud of her voice and invites His friends to listen too.
How glad He is when we come before Him, our Lord God, with singing and dancing! No matter how rough the journey is, God sustains us. This gives us great cause to praise.
The bible if full of exhortation for us to sing God's praises, particularly in the Psalms.
Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.2 Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. Psalm 149:1-3
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.2 Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. Psalm 149:1-3
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
Day 30
Beloved
Come away, my beloved,
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
on the spice-laden mountains. SS 8:14
and be like a gazelle
or like a young stag
on the spice-laden mountains. SS 8:14
Near the beginning of the Song, the Beloved describes her Lover as a gazelle or a young stag. Unfortunately, in the next breath, she tells Him to turn away and to come back in the morning. (SS 2:17)
We wondered if she felt inadequate to establish a relationship with a King and that perhaps she needed more time to think about it.
In this final scene of the Song, the Beloved is quite clear about her feelings. Come away my Lover is very different than go away!
We can imagine the Beloved and Lover clasping each other's hands and fleeing to their new life across the mountains.
New beginnings are offered to us every moment by our Lover. Let's grab hold of the opportunity and allow the Lord to lead us into a life infinetly more deeper and richer than we can ever ask or imagine.
I would like to close this Retreat with Paul's prayer for the Ephesians:
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-20
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.
*Please continue for one more day for a brief prologue.
Epilogue
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff,
let me see your face, let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. SS 2:14
O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff,
let me see your face, let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. SS 2:14
Our God desires to see our face turned to Him in prayer. He longs to hear our voice lifted in heart-felt praise.
The Retreats will pause during the month of February as I prepare for the launch of my first novel, 'Twice stolen.'
Thank you for your participation in the Song of Songs 30 Day Retreat.
God Bless,
Susanne
Read the scripture slowly.
When we read and reflect on God's Word prayerfully, we provide an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to speak to us. We experience Jesus move from the background of our life to His rightful place in the foreground.
The 10 Minute Daily Retreat encourages us to spend just 5 minutes Reading and Reflecting on the Gospel of the day.
We remain still for a further 5 minutes and Listen for God's voice. The Retreat concludes with our own unique prayer.
The ultimate goal is to grow in intimacy with God our Father, through Jesus Christ, His only Son.
20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. John 14:20
I would love you to continue to participate in these twice weekly Retreats. I write on Sundays, and a volunteer from a small team writes on Wednesdays. The Gospel is taken from the Liturgical Calendar.
You can also access the 10 Minute Daily Retreat via Facebook or by downloading the App.
20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. John 14:20
I would love you to continue to participate in these twice weekly Retreats. I write on Sundays, and a volunteer from a small team writes on Wednesdays. The Gospel is taken from the Liturgical Calendar.
You can also access the 10 Minute Daily Retreat via Facebook or by downloading the App.
The Retreats will pause during the month of February as I prepare for the launch of my first novel, 'Twice stolen.'
Thank you for your participation in the Song of Songs 30 Day Retreat.
God Bless,
Susanne
Read the scripture slowly.
Reflect on its meaning for you.
Listen for God's voice in the stillness.
Pray for God's blessing upon you.