The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 23 March 2019 – The Black Bride and the ‘Beautiful’ Bridegroom
TOPIC: The Black Bride and the ‘Beautiful’ Bridegroom
READ: Songs of Solomon 1:1 -17 King James Version (KJV)
1 The song of songs, which is Solomon’s.
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.
4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.
5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.
7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?
8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds’ tents.
9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh’s chariots.
10 Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
11 We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.
12 While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.
13 A bundle of myrrh is my wellbeloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.
14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.
15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes.
16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.
THE MESSAGE:
This book is usually accepted as an allegory between Christ (the King) and His Church (the bride). Today’s passage contains a beautiful illustration of God’s salvation plan and our expected response.
The original colour of the bride was thwarted by her angry stepbrothers who made her to work in the sun as a keeper of vineyards (verse 5). Similarly, God’s divine plan for us is to be righteous. Unfortunately through our inherited Adamic nature, the enemy made us keepers of vineyards of lies, theft, immorality, bribery, etc.
This changed our heavenly colour of righteousness just as the bride became black as a result of her activities. But thank God for our King and Lord, Jesus Christ who came to draw us away from sin into His chamber of love at Calvary (verse 4). He sees a beauty in us, worthy to be harnessed for His glory (verse 15). Like the bride in today’s passage, we are expected to respond positively by running after Him (verse 4)
Have you responded to His love or are you still satisfied with being a keeper of vineyards of sin? The King still calls today. Repent and accept Him into your life.
Dwell in contentment (verses 16-17) in His chamber through daily prayers, bible study, worship and commitment and it shall be well with you.
Prayer: I am tired of being a keeper of the vineyard of unrighteousness. I repent today and ask You Lord Jesus to take over my life as my King, Lord and Saviour.
