In last week’s lesson, focusing on Song of Solomon 1:8, we discovered the truth that that God is NEVER far away! When we cry out to Him, He comes running to us like a gazelle over the hills. And at the times when we seek to know His will and He doesn’t seem to be answering us, let’s remember to just keep on doing what we’ve been doing and trust Him to tell us what we need to know!
But so many times, when we are going through the worst trials of our lives, it doesn’t seem like God is even there! We can’t find Him anywhere! We can’t hear His voice, we can’t feel His presence. He’s just gone. Out of the picture. He’s abandoned us in our time of need!
But has He really? Remember Song of Solomon 2:15-17a? “Nightly He strolls in our garden”? That means that every time we are going through dark periods of our lives, He is there! We just don’t see Him because we are often so focused on our circumstances, on our problems.
But how do we break out of that cycle? How do we STOP being blinded by our trouble so that we can again SEE God, FEEL His presence? The answer lies in today’s verses, Song of Solomon 3:1-4. Let’s look at verse 1 for the first clue as to what to do:
“Restless in bed and sleepless through the night, I longed for my lover. I wanted him desperately. His absence was painful.” (Song of Solomon 3:1 from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
First thing we need to do? We need to long for His presence!
The second clue lies in vs. 2: “So I got up, went out and roved the city, hunting through streets and down alleys.” (Song of Solomon 3:2a, The Message)
Second thing to do? Go in search of Him! But don’t just look one place and give up! Hunt for Him everywhere!
But what if that doesn’t work? “I wanted my lover in the worst way! I looked high and low, and didn’t find him. And then the night watchmen found me as they patrolled the darkened city. “Have you seen my dear lost love?” I asked.” (Song of Solomon 3:2b,3, the Message)
If we can’t find Him on our own, we can seek the help of other Christians! Often others can help us to become refocused away from our problems, and back onto God’s Truth.
Does it work? Vs. 4 says “Yes”! “No sooner had I left them than I found him, found my dear lost love. I threw my arms around him and held him tight, wouldn’t let him go until I had him home again, safe at home beside the fire.” (Song 3:4 from The Message)
Enough to ponder for today. Please DO ponder this though, my friends. Ponder the truth that when we are so encased in problems that we can’t find God, we need to: a) long for Him; b) search for Him; and c) seek the aid of other Christians to help us refocus. And when we do, we will find Him! Please join us next Saturday for Lessons in Relationships, Part 24.
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets ( www.scripturalnuggets.org), Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org .
(To access the entire “Lessons on Relationship From Solomon” mini-series, please click here.)