“Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.” Songs of Solomon 8:6-7 (ESV)
O, how wonderful love is! I’m not referring to that infatuated puppy stuff. Love. L-O-V-E. The stuff eternity is made of. Love: the strong element of emotion that causes one to go to a cross for the loved ones. This is love!
Love is not superfluous. Love is not an after thought. Love is a decision to commit to the loved one . . . a no-matter-what commitment. “set me as a seal upon your heart.” Love has no end. It is a bottomless well. Love is strong and full of emotional heat. Love retains a measure of jealousy . . . in the right spirit. Jealous love refuses to abandon the loved one. Jealous love also rejects any intrusion by a third party into the love relationship. Love is so strong that there is not enough water in the oceans to quench it. And there is not enough gold in the world to lure it away from the loved one. O, what a love . . . marvelous love!!!!
With this understanding of love, one wonders how Solomon could have fallen short of it. Of course, we know that he was a human too and subject to temptations same as us. His Song of Love, however, exemplifies the love relationship that Israel should have had with Jehovah. It would challenge 21st century believers to consider our love for the Lord Jesus Christ. We certainly cannot look back and criticize Israel or Solomon for their failures.
What about my own love for the Savior? Have I set him as a seal upon my heart? Do I have a holy jealousy for the one who died for me? If the enemy of my soul offered me a price, would I totally despise him? Or be tempted to accept his invitation?
Dear Father, thank you for your commitment of love. Empower us with fervor and commitment to love you to the end. This I humbly pray in Jesus’ name. AMEN
Be encouraged today in Christ’s commitment of love,