Beginnings

Today's passage:  Song of Solomon 1
     In my study Bible, this book is prefaced with the story of Solomon and the woman he is writing about (often called the Shulamite woman) in these verses.  Apparently, Solomon had a vineyard near Lebanon that he rented out.  A group of brothers and one sister lived there.  The brothers made the girl work out in the fields day after day.  Solomon dressed as a shepherd and visited the vineyard.  He was taken with the girl's beauty and started to woo her.  She did not know this was her king.  Eventually they marry and she is taken to the lavish palace.  She was not used to such grandeur, and although she enjoyed the affection that was heaped upon her, she was used to simple pleasures.  She found herself longing to see her home in the vineyard once again.  Solomon granted her that wish and she was even able to persuade him to give a part of the vineyard to the brothers still residing there.
     This first chapter is the wonders of new love, the exciting start of a relationship.  In verse 5, she is embarrassed by how dark and weathered her skin has become from working out in the vineyards all day.  I remember how much time I took to get ready on a date with my husband.  I would change 5 or 6 times because I wanted to wear the perfect outfit, I would spend an ample amount of time on my hair because I wanted it to look right.  I wanted to impress him.  I wanted him to be pleased with my appearance.  If I had a pimple appear right before a date, I was horrified.  It was embarrassing.  I did everything I could to cover it up.  I'm imagining that the Shulamite woman tried to do the same.  She probably rushed about trying to find some way of covering her skin.  In the end, all she can do is apologize and hope he will accept her for what she is.  Such a picture of Christ's love for us.

Kiss Stealer--Taken from Victorian Songs-Lyrics of the Affection and  Nature
By Edmund H. Garrett, 1895
Courtesy of www.reusableart.com

     So many people think they can change who they are before they accept Christ, before they think Christ will accept them.  Not so.  I can not change myself without His help, and He accepts me the way I am.  After time with Solomon, the woman's skin will begin to lighten, because she will be spending more time in the palace, out of the sun.  I'm sure that Solomon could afford the most expensive lotions that she would be able to apply to make her skin soft again.  When I spend time with my Lord, where He lives, He will change me.  He will make me more acceptable to Him.  But I have to realize that He accepted me to begin with.  He loved me despite my flaws.  So did my husband.  Yet, how much time do I take now to be pleasing to him?  How much time do I spend trying to look my best when he gets home from work?  Not as much as I used to.  Has our relationship gone stale?  Probably a little bit, as most marriages do when children come along.  I haven't made it a priority and I should.  My relationship with Christ can go stale too, if I neglect my Bible, if I neglect going to His house.  It doesn't take a lot to breathe new life into the relationship, it just takes making it a priority.  I have no reason to apologize for how I start out.  Have I progressed?  Have I transformed?  Have I developed into a woman that will please my husband and my Lord?  If I remember the excitement of new love, I will.