The Song of Songs opens with a euphoric maiden in her first love time. How I remember my first love time with Steve. This picture is from our second date –a Valentine’s party where we were assigned to dress up like famous lovers. (We were assigned “Helen of Troy” and “Paris.”) I was so smitten with Steve I could hardly breathe. He was such a man: strong, tender, relational, and so intelligent. During our courtship time, I would wake up in the morning and before I was fully conscious have this warm wonderful feeling that something was different in my life — and then I would remember that Steve was in my life.
I never expected to have those same feelings when Jesus found me as a young wife and mother — but I did. I would wake up in the morning with this warm wonderful feeling that something was different in my life — and then I would remember that Jesus was in my life. I could hardly wait to get up and spend time with Him. I practically stopped people on the street to tell them: “Don’t you know — Jesus is real!” I stepped out on faith and saw God meet me again and again.
The first love time is a unique time — and in Revelation 2, when Jesus tells the church at Ephesus that they have forsaken their first love, he tells them to first “Remember the height from which they have fallen.” Then they are to repent and do the things they did at first.
Answer one or both of these questions for us:
What were you like when you first fell in love with your husband?
What were you like when you first fell in love with Jesus?
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When I first fell in love with Jesus, I couldn’t get enough of Him. I would wake up @ 530a each morning to meet Him in prayer. I would sing to Him, first reminding Him that He didn’t give me the gift of vocals (lol), but asking Him that by the time my singing reached His ears, may it be a sweet smelling savour to Him. I would tell Him how much I loved Him and couldn’t wait to spend eternity with Him. I would ask Him what could I do for Him that day and on my lunch breaks at work, I’d sit (our department was on the 16th floor) before one of the large windows and read my Bible and gaze into the heavens and silently commune with Him in my heart. At night, I’d repeat the morning’s rituals ( I hate to say rituals because it sounds like a “duty or task” but it was definitely out of love). I would go to church and while entering, I’d remember that I was entering His house and how glorious His house is. When I’d play my instrument of choice, my tambourine, I’d see myself playing before Him. When friends would want to go out to eat after a late night svc, I’d find myself rushing out or cutting the dinners short, so I wouldn’t be late to meet the Lord at our usual evening times together. I’d even find myself laying out before Him after days at work and I wouldn’t leave to go prepare my dinner until I felt His presence, then I’d ask Him to go with me as I met the rest of my family for dinner. In short, I was intoxicated with His presence! Ok, I’m done, ladies! But all this talk is making me want to get off this blog right now and go seek Him! He’s waiting for me…and for you..don’t leave Him waiting…
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Jan Elizabeth — this is so beautiful. It gives me understanding into your depth. Psalm 25:14 says: The Lord confides in those who are intimate with him — and then goes on with some other amazing promises! Thanks so much for sharing.
Hope to hear more from others — we need one another — a single log on a fire goes out! Often remembering our first love time can awaken us to desiring Him that way again.
This is off the subject — but wanted all you wonderful encouragers to know we’ve a new young girl on The Woman of Moderation post that I would love a few of you to pray about taking under your wing and encouraging! She seems so ready to move up and onward with the Lord and has come to us.
Jan Elizabeth, thanks for stirring a memory. I remember when I first got saved, I go outside on my lunch break, and in wonder and anticipation, look up at the sky and wonder – “Is this the day, your coming back again?” “Is this the day – you will break through the clouds?” “What an awesome, glorious, Lord you are!”
So good, Fellowsojourner!
Fellowsojourner, that is so awesome! I know the Lord loved hearing and watching you wonder after Him! Truly He draws nigh to us when we draw nigh to Him! Thank u for thank u! Thank God for Dee for this beautiful topic! This is so wonderful..I’m enjoying it immensely and it does stir my heart so, even to hear all of you all’s testimonies!
Journeyvision put this on one of the past posts, but I was so excited to see her join us on this Song of Songs journey that I wanted to put it here, so you could encourage her, in case you don’t look at past posts!
From Journeyvision
I’m just really getting started in doing this study on Song Of Songs. I feel like I didn’t have anything to say about this book because like everyone else, I assumed it was about marriage and not for singles. And I suppose it is a love affair from God to us. How God/Jesus loves us so much it’s like a deep relationship. A deep and beautiful love affair with us because it does sort of transcend sex. I am not sure if I am on the right path here. I suppose I would be the last person to comment on sex because of how I’ve abused it, but hopefully that won’t continue.
Journeyvision!!
YEAH! I am sooooooo glad to see you here!! =)
I am so glad we can “journey” together!
Fellowsojourner.
Journeyvision: Be encouraged! Ask the Lord to be your lover! He doesn’t mind! And sometimes I found out the less “educated” (nothing against those who are schooled theologians, the Lord has in each in the place He’s meant for us, individually) you are about the things of God, the deeper He can take you because of your innocence. He told us to recieve the kingdom as little children..little children are innocent and their hearts pure, untainted and excited to learn. He can mold you better that way. Since you’ve searched for love in the wrong places, ask Him to purify your heart to love Him the way He desires to be loved. He is faithful to perform it! Let yourself go! Let Him tear down the walls..start slowly..begin each day just telling him “Good morning (eve, whatever) tell Him how u feel, how your day went. The more you talk to Him as a friend and ask Him to help you hear His heart behind His Words in His Word, it’ll become easier day by day to be intimate with Him. Take it one day and one step @ a time. Remember, the race is not given to the swift, nor the battle to the strong..keep striving for your intimacy with Him
Great to hear from you journeyvision…Like Fellowsojourner says we are journeying together….It will be a place of great discoveries & delving into the depth of a restoring yet wonderous, freeing love of our Lord. I have alot to discover myself.
Thank you Jan Elizabeth again for sharing your loving & intimate relationship with the Lord it is so encouraging.
I think I’ve lost the ‘art’ of being still before the Lord.I think I need to take a leaf out your book Jan Elizabeth by not coming to ask anything of him & also have expectation of Him wanting my company…
As when I first fell in love with the Lord I was quite young in my early teens & I have had those moments of intensity with Him which have been uplifting but songs Of solomon kinda stuff I think I’ve got more discoveries to make.
As for falling in love with my husband it is our anniversary this month & we’ve always made it an important day on our calendar…I remember wearing dresses & makeup etc in hope of seeing him:), my heart fluttering when he looked at me ( my heart still can leap when he looks at me in a particular way)I also remember not having much of an appeitte in the early days & my reaction to him took me by surprise it really did. He is a faithful man especially in his walk with Lord which has taught me much. I am blessed woman…
Thanks to all for sharing about your love for the Lord it is encouraging. Thanks Dee…I think you must write your book on the Songs of Solomon.Bless you.
Thank you, Elizabeth. I’m sort of testing the waters for a book here — to see how much interest there is. It often feels like we are so earthly minded that there isn’t the interest for the intimacy with Jesus. I too loved Jan Elizabeth’s picture of her date time with Jesus.
You say you fluttered (and still do) when your husband looked at you a certain way. Then you say you sometimes wonder if the Lord really wants that intimacy with you. Here is one of my favorite verses from The Song of Songs — we’ll look at it in more detail later, but He is pleading with her to come higher with Him, out of her hiding places and says:
“Show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.”
What if we each did that today — asked HIm to help us be still — and turned our face to Him, and told Him of our love. To tell you the truth, I have a terrible time concentrating and not turning my prayer into requests. Praying through the psalms helps me — but how about if we pray through what’s we’ve considered in Song of Songs so far. I’m just going to write my prayer out here — and try to make it be for Him, even though you are reading over my shoulder! 🙂 Then you can try — here — or privately:
Lord, I long for your kiss — to sense You are really here with me this morning. Help me not to squirm, or be distracted. Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth.
Your love is more delightful than wine. I know wine gives a feeling of warmth and euphoria — and Your love is better. How sweet that yesterday you let me lead this little gal who helps me around the house to You. We both felt the rush, the warmth. Seeing her come alive made me realize anew how real your love is. No wonder the maidens love you! Maidens like Jan Elizabeth, and Elizabeth, and Cheryl, and Journeyvision, Fellowsojourner and more — You are precious, Lord.
Take me away with you — bring me into your chambers — that private place of intimacy. I rejoice and delight in you, dear Lord. The waves are rolling in and I think of your deep deep love, mighty as an ocean. Fall is in the air, and I know You are as faithful as the seasons. I have to stop myself from always and only asking You for things — help me to love You and You alone — and not be one who is always always coming for your stuff. For I do love You, Lord!
What a beautiful prayer Dee! It sounds almost like a poem and it took my breath away, just reading it, so I know the Lord received it with a glad heart (because His thoughts are definitely higher than mine)! He is so awesome! And such a beautiful God to meet us individually in the way that only He knows we can be loved. What it takes to make one’s heart flutter, make take another way for someone else, but thank God He is great enough to make the distinctions and meet us according to our individuality
Thank you Elizabeth for your encouragement..your words, even how you related to your husband are uplifting. That’s right, praise your husband and praise the Lord for him! You are a blessed woman!
Thank you Dee for your great encouragement, your prayer touched my heart as well as you’re attentiveness to your reply, yet again I say the depth of wisdom the Lord gives you has a gentle strength, a firmness yet tenderness, a image of your Lord I’d say. I find myself waiting for your next questions, all flowing from what the Lord has revealed in his word to you..this blog stirs my heart, my sisters stir my heart, the meditating on it ( this has helped my thoughts to be filled with questions of scripture), the Lord is doing something in My heart I can’t explain…it is like a slow revelation to my heart of “the Darkness” & yet there’s a sweetness of what possibly can be with My wonderous Lord..it is if I’m standing at the doors of this chamber. Yes I’m still trying to find a quiet place ( as you can image with 6 children + the discipline ) um in the shower this morning( hope this isn’t too much information) it came to me about the Lord’s grace washing me clean as new rain & it being a continual washing so I may enter in that chamber & meet with him no matter what…just having the expectation of meeting with him is enough. Of course I still need to cultivate this side of my relationship with Lord.
Dee I also listened to John Pipers talk on “Beholding is becoming” there is so much there I had to get a hard copy so I could read it also.I still have gathered only little understanding of what he was saying.
Grace stood out, as well as not coming to the Lord so I am “made much of” but “to make much of Him” ” to the praise of His glory”.It also made me think of remembering he is my Creater & I’m his created…it seems that concept keeps cropping up about me these past months…
I’ve also been thinking Dee with the book thing again you might have to be “a salmon swimming up stream” all in the Lord’s timing.No doubt you’ve swam up stream before now :).I don’t think I’ve ever heard much, if any thing preached on Songs of Solomon…
Bless you abundantly Dee:)