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"I sleep, but my heart is awake; It is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, "Open for me, my sister, my love, My dove, my perfect one; For my head is covered with dew, My locks with the drops of the night." 3 I have taken off my robe; How can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; How can I defile them? 4 My beloved put his hand by the latch of the door, And my heart yearned for him. 5 I arose to open for my beloved, And my hands dripped with myrrh, My fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the lock. 6 I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and was gone." (Song of Solomon 5:2-6)This portion of Holy Scripture grips my heart in a way that few others do in the Bible. In it we see a glimpse at a tender side of the Lord's heart. Not only is it revealing the danger of a dis-interest, it is revealing, I believe, the effect disinterest has on the Lord's heart.
You see, spiritually speaking, the bride has already experienced the absence of her Beloved. Only two chapters earlier, Scripture reveals that she sought the One she loved but could not find Him. Therefore, wisely, she got up to look for Him. She asked the soldiers who went around the city if they had seen Him. Fortunately for the young bride, she found the one she loved quickly. You can hear her immense joy as she declares, "When I found the one I love, I held him and would not let him go…" (Song of Solomon 3:4a).
Responding to His Voice
What a difference Chapter 5 reveals. This time the Beloved is longing for His bride and He came to her. Her heart was awake and she heard His voice, but sadly, she did not respond quickly enough and the Beloved turned away. Why oh why are we so slow to respond to the Lord when He comes calling? What sweet communion and pure joy we miss!
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20) Note the dual giving and receiving here, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. He desires something from us as much as we desire something from Him. Remember, Jesus went to the cross so we could spend eternity with Him because he loves us, because He wants to hang out with us.
I have the privilege of watching my granddaughter Tuesday and Thursdays while mom and dad are working. My heart melts when she turns to me and says, "We're hanging out" or when she puts two tea cups on her little table and says, "One for Gloriana and one for Grammie." The joy I receive from these moments is priceless. However, if I did not stop what I was doing and sit down to play with her, I wouldn't experience the joy.
Here I am Lord
I am writing this from first-hand experience. After planting Crossroadz Christian Church this spring, I understand in a new way what it's like to love the Lord, be listening for His voice, and not respond to His invitation. You would think it's just the opposite - new church, new purpose, new destiny. woo-hoo! Yes, however, along with a new church, new purpose, and new destiny came new responsibilities and lots of them. As awesome as it all is, I confess, sometimes I don't respond to the knocking at my heart. Like the bride in Song of Solomon, I have washed me feet so to speak. I'm empty and ready to rest.
But that's not really the problem. The problem is not being empty because of ministry; the problem is being empty because of not responding to the Lord's invitation to dine with Him. Beloved, it doesn't matter if you are nurturing a church, a family, a team or a corporation. The Lord is knocking at the door and will nourish with what we can never receive if we don't respond. In these moments to communion with the King of the universe He will give us spiritual blessings that we can get no place else.
"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11) Infinite pleasure, joy, grace, love, hope just to name a few, are at the right hand of the King of glory. These riches are so easy to receive. All we have to do is respond when He knocks at the door of our heart.
Knock! Knock! "Here I am Lord." Amen and Amen.
Tiffany Ann Lewis
