His Desire Is For Us
“I am my beloved’s, his desire is for me.”
The Song of Solomon is interpreted primarily in two ways. Historically speaking, it is read as a song that King Solomon wrote about the exchange of love between himself and his Shulamite bride. Many use this interpretation to preach and write about romantic relationships and progression towards marriage. This interpretation and application are accurate and beneficial.
Another less talked about interpretation that I believe carries more weight and importance is that the book reveals the exchange of love between Jesus and his church. It reveals the journey we all go on as we personally and collectively move from immature to mature love for God. It happens through experiencing God’s love and giving love back to him.
At this point in the song, the bride (who represents the church) professes her confidence in belonging to and being desired by Solomon (who represents Jesus). Her journey begins with the confession that she is dark but lovely (Song of Solomon 1:5 ESV). She confesses that sin exists in her heart, but even her immature love moves God’s heart and is lovely to him. She begins the journey with some awareness of how God sees her. After disobeying and experiencing divine discipline, experiencing the accusations of others, and wholeheartedly surrendering to Jesus’ leadership, she confidently declares I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me (Song of Solomon 7:10 ESV).
When we become followers of Jesus through the confession of Jesus as Savior and commitment to follow Him as Lord, we belong in the family and are desired. The revelation of belonging to and being desired by Jesus is both the starting point and sustainer of abiding daily.
Like I said, the moment we confess Jesus as Savior and Lord is the moment we belong and are desired. It does not stop there. Over time, as we experience the various seasons that are inevitable and intentionally a part of following Jesus, confidence that we belong to God and are desirable to him increases.
We become more aware of who we have always been to him. The Lord wants to remind us of who he is as our beloved and who we are as his beloved, deeply desired by him. He also wants us to understand that this is how he sees his church. God desires that the Church believe she belongs to and is desired by him.
I invite you to stop right now and prayerfully consider the first three words from John 17:24:
Father, I desire…
They are a doorway into an encounter with the lover of your soul who deeply desires you. They are a doorway into greater intimacy with Jesus and abiding in him daily. They are a doorway to freedom from the lies and accusations of the evil one. We are our beloved’s and his desire is for us.
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