May 31

“…it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh,…” Song of Solomon 5:2

In the vignette presented to us in these verses, we find the woman, who represents the church, to be ‘sleepy’, not quite soundly asleep, but yet not thoroughly awake either. The ‘knocking’ on the door, is a verbal call and appeal to her and the position she fills in the life of her beloved. Indisposed to answer the door, and apparently unwilling to make the efforts necessary, she leaves him locked out, and he is forced to move on. This is an apt description of what happens all too often with the people of God. The Lord comes knocking and calling at the door of our hearts, seeking entry, communion and fellowship with us. He wants to bring, blessing, revelation, provision and direction. Taken over by the spiritual sleepiness of our choices, we are not quick to respond, though we may hear the call. When we are too much attuned to the things of the world, and our own fleshly desires, we will become too ‘sleepy’ to pray, less attentive to the leading of God’s Spirit, and insensitive or indifferent to His encouragements or directives. We know it is ‘our beloved’, the Lord that calls, but we excuse ourselves with perceived impediments, bad timing, or other difficulties. What we are really saying is that what we have to do, or want is more pressing and necessary, than what He wants to do with us! It is not necessarily a lack of love towards the Lord that causes our indifference, but a lack of passion in that love, that makes us choose poorly, and miss the blessings He brings to our heart’s door. We might convince ourselves that sleep, other interests, friendships, work or other cares and necessities in our lives, are more pressing and urgent, than prayer, fellowship with God over His Word and the gathering of the saints together to worship, but when do, we soon find we have made the wrong choice or set the wrong priority. Let us remain attentive and awake spiritually, unencumbered by the world and the things of it, that we may always hear and quickly respond to the initiatives of God’s Spirit in our lives, and make the most of building close and intimate relationship with Jesus!

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