Love is not for sale

Thursday 6-11-15 (Home in Modesto)

Scripture reading:  Song of Solomon 5-8    Phil 1

S.  Song of Solomon 8:7  Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with everything he owned, his offer would be utterly despised." NLT

O.  Solomon’s song tells the story of a couple madly in love.  He knocks at her door, but she was not expecting him so soon and is not ready… and when she finally opens the door he is gone.  She dashes barefoot into the dark night to run through the streets to find him.  She finally finds him in his garden.  They embrace among the blooming flowers.  The chapters form an emotional roller-coaster as the two seem to play tag chasing one another.  Finally in closing his story-in-song Solomon makes the above statement.  Love is not for sale!     

A.  Who can understand true love?  There is the love of a mother for her little child.  It does not dwindle even as the many years pass and many miles may separate them.  There is the love of a father for his son.  He sees himself reflected in that little guy and knows he must walk correctly for his little one is following in his footsteps.  There what we used to call “puppy-love” of adolescence which risks being broken as circumstances may separate them forever.  There is the love of a man with a maiden that unites them in a covenant call marriage, not to be broken by anything less than death itself.  And there is the love of a Creator God that reaches out to his wayward, rebellious children and sends His only Son to rescue them at the cost of scorn, torture and a humiliating death.  So who can understand true love?  

P.  Oh Lord, you gave me a wonderful gift when you gave me my Frances.  Her final dying words as she forced out her last breath was “I love you!”  No millionaire could ever pay for a love like that.  And Jesus, You tell us there is no greater love than when one gives his life for the one he loves.  So Your dying message to us was not just spoken with words.  It was written in Your blood.  It was spoken in Your actions as You laid down Your life to rescue us from the destroyer.  So who can understand true love?   

Ralph