Jesus speaking to us, his bride: “You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you” (Song of Songs 4:7). Our response: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood…” (Rev. 1:5). Jesus calling to us: ‘Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past…’” (Song of Songs 2:10).
Lord Jesus, this tapestry of affection makes some of us blush and squirm with wonder. Others among us are more comfortable relegating it to poetry, hyperbole, and human sentimentality. And some of us—jaded by love and hurt by the risks of intimacy, have a hard time imagining that this is the love we were always looking for—the love of which all other loves are a tantalizing taste, an eternal echo, and a most gracious pointer.
We believe… help our unbelief, Jesus. By your work, Word, grace, and Spirit, you do say to us in this very moment, “You are altogether beautiful, my love.” And one Day, we will be “flawless”—for we will see you as you are and we will be made like you (1 John 3:1-3). But you don’t love us today to the degree we are like you, but in you, and that is 100%.
Hallelujah, you have already freed us from our sins by the sacrifice of your life on the cross. Hallelujah, you are calling to us today in the Gospel, “Arise my love, my beautiful one, come away.” You love to spend time with us, Jesus. And major Hallelujah, “winter” in broken and will soon be “past.” Indeed, to you, Jesus, who loves us… So Very Amen.