I played a Valentine's Day dinner at a local church. After dinner the pastor delivered a sermonette from Song of Solomon. While I'm familiar with the book and have even studied it a bit, he broke the text down in a way I've never experienced before. He pointedly illustrated the raw sensuality and power in the text, and kept it light enough to encourage some laughter. By his own admission it was not a 'Sunday morning sermon'. He very effectively made the point that this was an illustration of God's design for marital intimacy. Despite puritanical efforts to recast the Song of Solomon as a metaphor for the relationship between Christ and the church, this poem was originally written about a man and his bride, gettin it on! In ancient times, Hebrew scholars weren't even allowed to read it until they had reached a certain level of maturity.
So often in this culture we get the message that sex in marriage is boring, mundane, even a chore. If you're keeping your vows, you're missing out on something. In reality, the way God designed it, married folks should be getting the best of it. The physical as well as a deep emotional and spiritual bonding that can't be replicated elsewhere. That stayed with me. Even though it seems so obvious, it's good to get a reminder now and then. I will never look at Song of Solomon the same. Happy belated Valentines Day.
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