Determination is the thought here. It’s a perfect picture illustrated by the Shunammite woman. She was engaged to King Solomon. She awoke to look for him, but she couldn’t find him. She sought for him until she did, and then she wouldn’t let him go. She took him to her mother’s house. How determined are you to find the King? He expects each of us to be.
Song of Solomon 3: 1By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 2I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. 3The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? 4It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.
Solomon wrote this book as a description of the love he had for this woman. Using this relationship with her and anointed by the Spirit, he wrote a book that is more than just a look into his personal life with the woman. It shows how the Lord feels about us and how we should feel about him. It shows how a relationship must be built on love and the determination it takes to build it.
The grace of God welcomes us into his family. We’ve been chosen by the King. In this story the wedding has not taken place. Solomon didn’t just choose her and that was all there was to it. She had to agree. Salvation is like the love shown here between them. It is a mutual trust of heart that is more than physical or mental. It’s part of the soul.
Let’s not be like the church at Ephesus described as having lost its first love. Let’s see the determination of this woman. She was used to the King coming by. The Lord has blessed us and has been faithful to show up at our door. Don’t panic if the Lord seems not to be there. Don’t forsake him. Sometimes we have to wait on him.
The woman awoke. Solomon was not there. She went out into the street. He was not there. He was not in the city, not with the crowd. A lot of people look for Jesus in just these types of places—the ways of society, the ways following man’s thinking. We must be where he wants us. The rules are not ours to set. We need him, but we’re not necessary to him. However, he loves us and wants a relationship with us. She looked in all the wrong places for the King. People do that today in looking for Jesus. They try to find a Savior to suit their lives. He is just not going to be where we selfishly want him to be, for our own good. We must go God’s way or there is no way.
Verse 4 says it was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go. She passed by all those places. That’s what we have to do—get passed the world and our own concepts of what Christianity is. We have to be willing to go far enough to find him. We must seek him with all our heart. When she got by the wrong places and kept determination in her heart, she found him. He’s always at the place he promised to be found. Jesus is never absent from where we can reach him. When we follow the right directions, and get passed those wrong places, we will find him.
When the woman found him, she held onto him and wouldn’t let him go. There is power in the hold of the King. He is filled with joy when we hold him back. We should make it our heart’s desire to seek him and hold him as he holds us. He gives us everything. The Lord doesn’t evade or avoid us. He doesn’t scoot around us. There is a purpose when he seems far away, but be determined. We couldn’t make it without him. Be determined to let him be your King. Be determined to bring him into every area of your life. The woman wanted him to go to her mother’s house. We lose blessings when we don’t let the Lord into all parts of our lives. The King is willing to come into them. He considers it an honor to be in every facet of our life unworthy as it is.
Are you seeking him now? Is it hard for you to find him? Do you need to find him afresh? How firm is the bond between you and the Lord? How deep into your life have you let him in? Have you brought him into every area? As lowly as this woman was, she wanted to take him to her humble home. He was willing to go. The Lord will do the same for you.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 