Friday 18 January 2013

Background

Today's passage is another descriptive outpouring of affectionand admiration by the maiden for her husband.

In the opening words of verse 10 we find an unusual link with Genesis 3:16: "... yet your desire shall be foryour husband and he shall rule over you". In Genesis, these wordsare spoken to the woman as a curse by God for her disobedience ineating the forbidden fruit in God's perfect garden. Here, however,the tables have turned as we find that she is in control - herhusband belongs to her and she is the subject of his desires. Hercurse has been reversed and she finds freedom and power in herunion with him.

And yet, there is also a sense in which she still seems to betrying to win him over - to call to be with her and enjoy theirunion. She is coaxing him to come away with her, promising all thegifts of spring - symbols of life and joy. If commentators areright to suggest that she is King Solomon's bride, this may well bea subtle reference to the act of polygamy. She may be the mostfavoured of the King's brides, but one suspects she still has toshare him. So perhaps her sense of freedom is more limited than shemight imagine.

The slightly strange-sounding reference to wishing that he hadbeen "like a brother to me" (8:1) from the beginning may give voiceto her overwhelming desire for a special intimacy with him, knownby no other person. If she had truly known him from the beginningof her life, perhaps he would be hers and hers alone - there iscertainly a strong sense of jealousy to be found in her desire forhim.

To Ponder

• In what ways can relationships empower us?

• In what ways might relaionships restrict or dis-empowerus?

• Do you ever feel that you need to pursue God or win God over?Or perhaps that God is trying to pursue you?