Just say, “thank you!”

Because it is a high compliment! It’s the compliment that Jesus’ gives to His bride in Song of Songs 1:9.

I’ve decided to forgo the video today for two reasons:

1) i made several attempts to record and continually messed it up

2) one of my friends was whining about how i’ve been doing too many videos and he misses my writing (you know who you are!) so, there you have it!

We’ve been following the beginning of the bride’s journey in the Song of Songs. She has had a realization that her heart is dark, but she is lovely to God. She sees that she’s been striving under the sun: working FOR God, but not WITH God (big difference!) She realizes that she has neglected the vineyard of her heart: her own relationship with Jesus. She has begun to ask where she can be fed, where she can find rest.

Jesus answered her and called her “most beautiful” even in her dark, burned, neglected state. He urged her to keep on the path of faithful ones who have gone before her. He encourages her to continue investing in younger ones around her, and to stay in relationship with people who have a heart to shepherd God’s people.

And then, in chapter 1, verse 9, He drops a most endearing compliment:

“To me, my darling, you are like
My mare among the chariots of Pharaoh”

He compares her to… a horse!

but not just any horse: the chariots of Pharaoh would have been drawn by powerful war-horses, bred for strength and speed and endurance. These stallions were kept for work.

Sometimes we get to feeling like work horses. Like God only wants us around if we can DO something for Him. We want to be “used of the Lord”, good “servants”, building up the work of the kingdom. These are good sentiments, but they are not the entire purpose of our existence. We were created for companionship, and work is one way companionship can be fostered (check out Genesis 1 & 2 again.)

Jesus makes a point to tell His beloved that she exists for more than work.

See, a mare is a female horse and would not have been used to draw the chariots. She would have been kept among all the work horses simply for the purpose of beauty. She would likely have been highly adorned and been a wonder to look at. He is communicating that she was born for beauty. And so were you and i.

So, let your heart rest in this tonight: you were created for beauty. the works we do are simply one way to display that beauty. Apart from what you do, God finds you lovely. So, let Him say so.