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Day 129: The One My Soul Loves (SoS 3:1-4)

 By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. “I will rise now,” I said, “And go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him, but I did not find him. The watchmen who go about the city found me; I said, “Have you seen the one I love?” Scarcely had I passed by them, When I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, Until I had brought him to the house of my mother, And into the chamber of her who conceived me. (Song of Songs 3:1‭-‬4)

In verses 1-4 of SoS 3, the Bride repeats the phrase ‘the one I love’ four times. One of the significant lessons we can learn from this is that the relentless pursuit of Jesus can only be fueled by love for Him. When the primary motivation for being with Jesus is what He can give us we risk falling out of love with Him when our comfort is challenged and answers to prayers seem delayed.

Passion is the metric of love. Love is the greatest motivation for pursuit. Passion is shown through pursuit. One of the greatest indicators of love for Jesus is how much we chase after Him, covet His presence, guard our affection for Him, protect our intimacy with Him, and how dependent our lives are on Him.

In the original Hebrew text and in many Bible translations, the one I love is written as the one my soul loves. The soul refers to a person's innermost being. Man is a Spirit, has a soul, and lives in a body. In Genesis 2, the soul came into existence when God breathed man into his body. Without the soul, no man can function on earth.

So, when the Bride called the Beloved the one her soul loves, she's saying she loves him with her whole being/life, with the deepest love any man can feel for another. This love transcends emotions to being sacrificial. It's the kind of love Jonathan and David had for each other when the Bible said in 1 Samuel 18:1:

...the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

Because of this intense love, verse 3 says:

Jonathan and David made a covenant because he (Jonathan) loved him as his own soul.

Many translations say he loved him as himself. Others say he loved him as his own life. That is what the Bride meant when she called him the one her soul loves. A love that is willing to risk and give everything it has. It is love willing to lose all for the Beloved. It's a covenant love.

This love goes beyond fluttery feelings and emotions. It is love that is bound to last a lifetime, regardless of good or bad times. It's faithful love. It's the kind of love Jesus has for us that made him give his life on the cross. It is the love we must have for Him in return. It correlates with the first part of the Great Commandment which says:

...‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’ (Matthew 22:37, The Passion Translation)

This love of the Bride for her Beloved was also shown when she held him and would not let him go after finding him. To her, he was the greatest treasure ever.

In Matthew 13:44 Jesus said:

...the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

And in verses 45-46, He said:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The Bride risked it all by wandering through the city at the most dangerous hour of the day. She endangered her life and reputation and forsook all she had to find her beloved.

Jacob in Genesis 32 sent his family, servants, and possessions ahead so he could seek God alone. When he saw an angel of the Lord, he held him and would not let him go because he wanted something. Jesus should be that desire that makes us like Jacob hold on to Him and not let Him go.

Another man who forsook all and held on to the Lord was Paul. He said in Philippians 3:7 (The Passion Translation):

Yet all of the accomplishments that I once took credit for, I’ve now forsaken them and I regard it all as nothing compared to the delight of experiencing Jesus Christ as my Lord!

To find Jesus we must be willing to lose family and friends, reputation, fame, wealth, the favor and praise of men... Everything. When we find Him, we must strive to maintain and dwell in the consciousness of His presence. We must hold on to Him and never let Him go.

PRAY WITH ME:

My Beloved Jesus, be the one my soul loves the most. Help me to count all things worthless except You. Help me hold on to You and be steadfast in my walk with You. Amen.

REFLECT & ACT:

  • Can you truly say that Jesus is the one your soul loves?
  • What are you willing to give up for Jesus? What have you considered to be more important than Him?
  • How do you hold on to Him and His presence in your life?

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