Day 130: Bringing Him Home (SoS 3:4)

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 3:‬4)

In ancient times, the women of a family pitched their tent apart from the men's and even houses were partitioned to differentiate each gender's part of the house. The female children and young male children stayed with their mother in her part of the house or tent. We see an example with the mention of Sarah's tent in Genesis 24.

A man may have many wives and even bear children from concubines. However, it was rare to find a woman who had borne children to more than one man. So the mention of the mother's house and not the father's house indicates the most intimate members of the Bride's household.

While taking Jesus to strangers isn't difficult, it can be quite challenging when it comes to people close to us. It's because they have front-row seats to our weaknesses and imperfections and so they may have a more difficult time accepting Him and His work through us.

We see an example of this with Jesus in his hometown in Luke 4. They acknowledged that He spoke with wisdom and that unprecedented mighty works were done through Him. However, they still could not honor Him because they knew His humanity more than any other group of people in Israel.

We see another example of David in 1 Samuel. His family could not see how special he was so when Samuel requested that Jesse present all his sons, no one considered him.

Also because of our knowledge of how much our family and friends know about our strengths, weaknesses, and failures, it's often quite difficult for some believers to boldly proclaim Jesus and minister to family and friends. Sometimes it's because we try to avoid conflict and tension from them.

However, until our household and friends know what we stand for and how committed to Jesus we are we haven't truly risked much for Him. The Bride knew there was a possibility that her choice of spouse would be rejected. However, she took a chance by taking the Beloved to her mother's house. This act expresses a proclamation of unashamed belonging to her Beloved.

The Bible clearly shows us that God delights in the salvation of families. He said about Abraham in Genesis 18:17,19:

And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.”

The Bible vividly records many instances when whole households believed. We see examples of Cornelius and his household in Acts 10 and the jailer and his household in Acts 16.

In the Old Testament, Israel was commanded to proclaim the Lord and His works to all their children generation after generation.

God delights in the salvation of families.

We must boldly proclaim Jesus and use the gifts and graces he has given us to minister to our family and friends.

It's often easier to compromise righteous living for friends and family than for total strangers. It's easier to hide our true identities from them than from those we're unfamiliar with. Until we bring Jesus to our Mother's house, the confidence to do the impossible for Him will forever be limited.

The Bride however speaks also about bringing her Beloved to the chamber where she was conceived. This indicates consent to and desire for marital love and the deepest form of intimacy a man and woman could experience.

God will not settle for anything less than all of us. He wants to be closer to us than anyone else. Though He is omniscient, our intimacy with Him will never progress beyond the aspects of our lives we're willing to bare to Him.

So whenever we have a sense of separation from God, it is an indication of a need for deeper fellowship, more vulnerability, and increased intimacy with Him. David understood the importance of inviting God to the most intimate places in his life. In Psalm 139, he acknowledged verse 1:

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

Yet he ended with these words in verse 23:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;

The more of ourselves we open up to God, the more we know Him. So we must make it a daily habit to pray the prayers of consecration. Complete submission and surrender make us vulnerable to Him. We must expose the concealed parts of our lives for Him to influence. We must then add authenticity in the presence of our family and friends.

PRAY WITH ME:

My Beloved Jesus, I invite you again into my life. I open my heart to you completely. Search me and know me. I surrender all I am and have to you. Grant me grace and boldness to boldly proclaim you and minister to family and friends. Amen.

REFLECT & ACT:

• How authentic are you in the presence of family and friends?
• What part of your life are you yet to surrender to Jesus?
• How bold are you in ministering and preaching Jesus to your family and friends?