Since I was a little girl, I have always loved the beauty of marriage. The intimacy, the partnership, the covenant, the union - it is all so perfectly designed by God and an enduring demonstration of the gospel of grace.
The Song of Solomon depicts this relationship well in a lyrical and sensual wisdom poem that reveals the God-given intention for romantic and covenantal love.
However, there is a very unique time that all who marry will encounter. It was the beautiful season when I had already been taught and counseled about marriage, I had said “yes” to my husband’s marriage proposal, and I had seen it modeled in other ways, but I had not yet experienced the fullness of its goodness in sexual intimacy, dwelling with one another, and complete “oneness” together. There was still the unknown “mystery of marriage” nagging at my heart.
I do not remember exactly when it happened, but I know that something shifted after our wedding. I very quickly knew that I was fully my husband’s beloved, and he too was mine. We see this experience described clearly in Song of Solomon 2:16 “My beloved is mine, and I am his.”
A similar mystery presents itself in our relationship with Christ and His gospel message. As His chosen priesthood, His bride, and His beautiful creation, we are His. We respond to His marriage proposal with a wholehearted “yes” in declaring that He is our God - always and forever.
However, I’m noticing that, similar to my season of engagement, we too are living in this already but not yet moment. We have received teaching on God’s perfection, we have seen it evident in our life and others, and we have received the gift of eternal salvation - yet we do not fully understand the perfection of dwelling with Him in Heaven for all of eternity.
Like we read throughout the Song of Solomon, I pray that we would be sisters who yearn for the day that we will join with Christ in Heaven. May we find as much satisfaction in this hope as we do in our marriages.
The beauty, pleasure, and joy found in marriage is a gracious gift from God. However, the beauty, pleasure, and joy of Christ’s love transcend our human understanding.
For those of you who struggle to understand or receive this kind of love, I encourage you to meditate on this passage of the man admiring HIs love’s beauty:
“You are altogether beautiful, my love;
there is no flaw in you.
Come with me from Lebanon, my bride;
come with me from Lebanon.
Depart from the peak of Amana,
from the peak of Senir and Hermon,
from the dens of lions,
from the mountains of leopards.
You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;
you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes,
with one jewel of your necklace.
How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!
How much better is your love than wine,
and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!”
Song of Solomon 4:7-10
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