Wednesday, June 14, 2023  

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Today’s Scripture Reading 
Song of Solomon 1:1–3, 9–11, 15–16a, 2:2–3a

The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine, your anointing oils are fragrant, your name is perfume poured out; therefore the maidens love you. ...

I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. Your cheeks are comely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels. We will make you ornaments of gold, studded with silver. ...

Ah, you are beautiful, my love; ah, you are beautiful; your eyes are doves. Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly lovely. Our couch is green; As a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens. ...

As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among young men. With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. (NRSV)

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Reflection
The Bible talks a lot about love, but relatively little of that is romantic love. The spotlight on romantic love is what makes Song of Solomon feel different than other books of the Bible. Why is that? What is it about romantic love that’s different from the other types of love so often depicted in the books of the Bible?

There is something different. It’s evident when I think about how my love for my husband feels compared to my love for my son or for my sister. But it’s difficult to put into words, and the English language is lacking when it comes to vocabulary for talking about love. Sometimes the best we can do is to talk about the difference between loving someone and being “in love” with someone. And it’s that “in love” feeling that we reserve for describing romantic love.

Some say love isn’t a feeling, it’s action. But the complicated truth is that love is both an action and a feeling. It’s a verb and a noun. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that love isn’t just a feeling. It’s possible to act with love toward someone I don’t have deep affection for. It’s even possible to act with love toward someone I deeply dislike. After all, that’s Jesus’ whole point about “loving thy neighbor.” It’s not just possible, it’s what’s expected of us as Christians.

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Prayer
For all the ways you have blessed my life with love, Lord, I give you thanks. Amen.

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Written by Nicole Spirgen, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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