June 11th
Today’s Reading: Song of Songs 5–8, Philippians 1
June 11
Today’s Reading: Song of Songs 5–8, Philippians 1
Scripture Focus
“I have entered my garden, my treasure, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spices and eat honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. Oh, lover and beloved, eat and drink! Yes, drink deeply of your love!” – Song of Songs 5:1
“I slept, but my heart was awake, when I heard my lover knocking and calling: ‘Open to me, my treasure, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.’ But I responded, ‘I have taken off my robe. Should I get dressed again? I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled?’” – Song of Songs 5:2–3 (NLT)
“I opened to my lover, but he was gone! My heart sank. I searched for him but could not find him anywhere. I called to him, but there was no reply.” – Song of Songs 5:6 (NLT)
“Why is your lover better than all others, O woman of rare beauty? What makes your lover so special that we must promise this? My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others!” – Song of Songs 5:9–10 (NLT)
“Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.” – Song of Songs 8:7 (NLT)
Devotional Reflection
Four chapters in the Song of Songs carry such weight and depth—they’re not just poetic love songs, but a glimpse into the passionate, pursuing love Jesus has for us. He invites us into the garden, a place of communion and delight, reminiscent of Eden—where man once walked with God in the cool of the day.
In Chapter 5, we read of the bridegroom knocking, calling out to his beloved (vv. 2–3). But she hesitates. She’s already comfortable, already at rest. By the time she opens the door, he is gone—and the moment is missed. How often does the Lord call to us—inviting us to draw near, to pause, to listen, to be with Him—and we delay?
This passage is a sobering reminder: when God stirs our hearts, let us respond quickly. Intimacy with Jesus is not something to be postponed. He seeks us, longs for us, and invites us in.
What struck me next was how others noticed her love. 'Why is your lover better than all others?' they ask. And she responds with a passionate, detailed description of His worth (5:9–10). That’s what intimacy does—it fills us with admiration. We begin to speak of Him naturally, tenderly, boldly. Do others see that in us? Can we describe Jesus with that kind of love?
I remember a moment in college when a boy in my math class asked me to help with a haunted house event. I was shocked and told him that I couldn’t participate in anything that celebrated the enemy of God. The next day, he left a note on my desk saying that my conviction made such an impact on him that he backed out of the event and wanted to draw closer to God through campus ministry. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone—I was just trying to honor Jesus. But even that simple act of devotion became a light to someone else.
We cannot be that kind of light without cultivating deep love with Jesus. Song of Songs uses the word kiss, not merely to suggest the physical, but intimacy. Do we have that kind of spiritual intimacy with Him?
Jesus said in Matthew 7:23, 'I never knew you.' The word knew there means deep, intimate relationship—the same kind of knowing we’re reading about in this book. What a tragedy it would be to serve but never know Him.
Lesson for Me
God doesn’t just want my service—He wants my heart. He wants communion, intimacy, passion, and pursuit. I must not delay when He calls. I want my life to radiate a love that makes others ask, 'What’s so special about Him?' And I want to be ready to answer with joy.
Application Questions
1. Is there a moment recently when I sensed the Lord calling me—but I delayed or got distracted?
2. How can I make space in my life to respond more quickly to Him?
3. What words would I use to describe my love for Jesus if someone asked me, “What makes Him so special?”
4. Do others see my relationship with Jesus as something beautiful and worth asking about?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for pursuing me with a love deeper than the oceans and stronger than death. Forgive me for the moments I’ve hesitated when You’ve knocked. Stir my heart again to respond without delay. I want to walk with You in the cool of the day, to live every day in the joy of intimacy with You. May others see how beautiful You are by how I live, speak, and love. I want to be known as a woman who knows her Beloved—and never forgets the price You paid to make me Yours. Amen.
Extra Reflection – Philippians Chapter 1
After reading the passionate pursuit in Song of Songs, we now shift to Paul’s letter to the Philippians—a letter written from a Roman prison cell, yet overflowing with joy, encouragement, and deep spiritual maturity. How is that possible? Only through intimacy with Jesus.
Paul’s relationship with Jesus was not casual—it was cultivated. He had walked through beatings, shipwrecks, betrayals, and imprisonments, yet could still write with deep peace, gratitude, and love for others. The reason? He abided in Christ.
Without intimacy with Jesus, we will not experience the power and strength that Paul displayed. Here’s how Philippians 1 ties into the kind of spiritual relationship we see in Song of Songs:
💛 1. Partnership with Christ flows from intimacy with Him
“I thank my God every time I remember you… because of your partnership in the gospel…” (vv. 3–5)
You can’t truly partner with someone you barely know. Paul could see people through the eyes of Christ because he had spent time in Christ’s presence. His heart was full of gratitude, not grumbling.
🌱 2. Confidence in God’s work comes from knowing His heart
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” (v. 6)
That confidence is born in secret places—prayer closets, quiet mornings in the Word, songs whispered through tears. Paul could rest in God’s faithfulness because he knew God personally.
🧭 3. Joy in suffering grows where love is rooted in truth
“What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel…” (v. 12)
Paul wasn’t bitter about his chains. He saw God’s hand in his hardship because his heart stayed close to Jesus. That kind of joyful vision doesn’t come from head knowledge—it’s the fruit of deep communion.
🔥 4. To live is Christ… only when Christ is your life
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (v. 21)
Those aren’t just words—they are a heart cry. You don’t say that unless Jesus has become everything. Paul’s love for Christ was not theoretical; it was intimate, daily, personal, and consuming.
🤝 5. Standing firm with others starts with kneeling alone
“Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel… standing firm in one spirit…” (vv. 27–28)
Paul urges unity, holiness, and courage—but these qualities are cultivated alone with Jesus before they ever show up in community.
Closing Thought
The garden intimacy in Song of Songs leads to prison-strength joy in Philippians 1.
It’s the same relationship, just different seasons.
If we respond when He knocks…
If we press in when it would be easier to sleep…
If we describe Him with awe and passion to others…
Then, like Paul, we will be able to rejoice in suffering, encourage others in their pain,
and stand firm in our faith when the storms come.
Let it not be said of us that we left our first love.
Let it be said: She knew Him—and it showed.
Today’s Reading: Song of Songs 5–8, Philippians 1
Scripture Focus
“I have entered my garden, my treasure, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spices and eat honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. Oh, lover and beloved, eat and drink! Yes, drink deeply of your love!” – Song of Songs 5:1
“I slept, but my heart was awake, when I heard my lover knocking and calling: ‘Open to me, my treasure, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.’ But I responded, ‘I have taken off my robe. Should I get dressed again? I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled?’” – Song of Songs 5:2–3 (NLT)
“I opened to my lover, but he was gone! My heart sank. I searched for him but could not find him anywhere. I called to him, but there was no reply.” – Song of Songs 5:6 (NLT)
“Why is your lover better than all others, O woman of rare beauty? What makes your lover so special that we must promise this? My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others!” – Song of Songs 5:9–10 (NLT)
“Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.” – Song of Songs 8:7 (NLT)
Devotional Reflection
Four chapters in the Song of Songs carry such weight and depth—they’re not just poetic love songs, but a glimpse into the passionate, pursuing love Jesus has for us. He invites us into the garden, a place of communion and delight, reminiscent of Eden—where man once walked with God in the cool of the day.
In Chapter 5, we read of the bridegroom knocking, calling out to his beloved (vv. 2–3). But she hesitates. She’s already comfortable, already at rest. By the time she opens the door, he is gone—and the moment is missed. How often does the Lord call to us—inviting us to draw near, to pause, to listen, to be with Him—and we delay?
This passage is a sobering reminder: when God stirs our hearts, let us respond quickly. Intimacy with Jesus is not something to be postponed. He seeks us, longs for us, and invites us in.
What struck me next was how others noticed her love. 'Why is your lover better than all others?' they ask. And she responds with a passionate, detailed description of His worth (5:9–10). That’s what intimacy does—it fills us with admiration. We begin to speak of Him naturally, tenderly, boldly. Do others see that in us? Can we describe Jesus with that kind of love?
I remember a moment in college when a boy in my math class asked me to help with a haunted house event. I was shocked and told him that I couldn’t participate in anything that celebrated the enemy of God. The next day, he left a note on my desk saying that my conviction made such an impact on him that he backed out of the event and wanted to draw closer to God through campus ministry. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone—I was just trying to honor Jesus. But even that simple act of devotion became a light to someone else.
We cannot be that kind of light without cultivating deep love with Jesus. Song of Songs uses the word kiss, not merely to suggest the physical, but intimacy. Do we have that kind of spiritual intimacy with Him?
Jesus said in Matthew 7:23, 'I never knew you.' The word knew there means deep, intimate relationship—the same kind of knowing we’re reading about in this book. What a tragedy it would be to serve but never know Him.
Lesson for Me
God doesn’t just want my service—He wants my heart. He wants communion, intimacy, passion, and pursuit. I must not delay when He calls. I want my life to radiate a love that makes others ask, 'What’s so special about Him?' And I want to be ready to answer with joy.
Application Questions
1. Is there a moment recently when I sensed the Lord calling me—but I delayed or got distracted?
2. How can I make space in my life to respond more quickly to Him?
3. What words would I use to describe my love for Jesus if someone asked me, “What makes Him so special?”
4. Do others see my relationship with Jesus as something beautiful and worth asking about?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for pursuing me with a love deeper than the oceans and stronger than death. Forgive me for the moments I’ve hesitated when You’ve knocked. Stir my heart again to respond without delay. I want to walk with You in the cool of the day, to live every day in the joy of intimacy with You. May others see how beautiful You are by how I live, speak, and love. I want to be known as a woman who knows her Beloved—and never forgets the price You paid to make me Yours. Amen.
Extra Reflection – Philippians Chapter 1
After reading the passionate pursuit in Song of Songs, we now shift to Paul’s letter to the Philippians—a letter written from a Roman prison cell, yet overflowing with joy, encouragement, and deep spiritual maturity. How is that possible? Only through intimacy with Jesus.
Paul’s relationship with Jesus was not casual—it was cultivated. He had walked through beatings, shipwrecks, betrayals, and imprisonments, yet could still write with deep peace, gratitude, and love for others. The reason? He abided in Christ.
Without intimacy with Jesus, we will not experience the power and strength that Paul displayed. Here’s how Philippians 1 ties into the kind of spiritual relationship we see in Song of Songs:
💛 1. Partnership with Christ flows from intimacy with Him
“I thank my God every time I remember you… because of your partnership in the gospel…” (vv. 3–5)
You can’t truly partner with someone you barely know. Paul could see people through the eyes of Christ because he had spent time in Christ’s presence. His heart was full of gratitude, not grumbling.
🌱 2. Confidence in God’s work comes from knowing His heart
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” (v. 6)
That confidence is born in secret places—prayer closets, quiet mornings in the Word, songs whispered through tears. Paul could rest in God’s faithfulness because he knew God personally.
🧭 3. Joy in suffering grows where love is rooted in truth
“What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel…” (v. 12)
Paul wasn’t bitter about his chains. He saw God’s hand in his hardship because his heart stayed close to Jesus. That kind of joyful vision doesn’t come from head knowledge—it’s the fruit of deep communion.
🔥 4. To live is Christ… only when Christ is your life
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (v. 21)
Those aren’t just words—they are a heart cry. You don’t say that unless Jesus has become everything. Paul’s love for Christ was not theoretical; it was intimate, daily, personal, and consuming.
🤝 5. Standing firm with others starts with kneeling alone
“Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel… standing firm in one spirit…” (vv. 27–28)
Paul urges unity, holiness, and courage—but these qualities are cultivated alone with Jesus before they ever show up in community.
Closing Thought
The garden intimacy in Song of Songs leads to prison-strength joy in Philippians 1.
It’s the same relationship, just different seasons.
If we respond when He knocks…
If we press in when it would be easier to sleep…
If we describe Him with awe and passion to others…
Then, like Paul, we will be able to rejoice in suffering, encourage others in their pain,
and stand firm in our faith when the storms come.
Let it not be said of us that we left our first love.
Let it be said: She knew Him—and it showed.