21 December 2022

My beloved speaks and says to me:
‘Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away;
for now the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtle-dove
is heard in our land.

From Song of Songs 2:8-14, NRSV

The Song of Songs tells the story of the courtship and marriage between a young man and young woman in Ancient Israel. It is a sensuous love poem that describes the spiritual and sexual love between the couple. This is one of only two books in the Bible that do not explicitly mention God. We may then wonder at its inclusion in the readings and its relevance at this time of the year. Perhaps the ancient rabbis considered that the love between the couple was an image of the passionate and tender love of God for his people. As we will celebrate in just a few days time, God took on the form of human flesh in order to make known the fullness of his love for all people.

• • How does this image of springtime speak of God’s love? 
  • What is your experience of the power of God’s love?

Give thanks for the ways in which you know and feel God’s love and share God’s love with those you encounter today.