 |
Aug 8 - Come Out of Your Cave
|
|
 |
|
Lessons from the Life of the Shulammite: Come Out of Your Cave
By Jim Laffoon
My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Song of Solomon 2:14
Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense. All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.
Come with me from Lebanon my bride, come with me from Lebanon. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the Senir, the summit of Hermon, from the lions’ dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards. Song of Solomon 4:6-8
Even though her husband and king had pled with her, she had refused to come out of her chambers. Now, in the darkness of her room, she had no way of knowing that the seasons were changing.
Although she had almost opened the door when Solomon had told her that her face was lovely, in her heart, she had not really believed him. After all, her skin was so coarse and dark compared to the other women in the palace.
Far from being truthful, she believed he was simply taking pity on her wretched condition.
Yet for the Shulammite, far more was at stake than missing the changing seasons. In fact, the longer she stayed in her chambers, the more endangered she would become.
In the shadows of her room, the feelings and attitudes that were beginning to dominate her heart would grow powerful enough to destroy her.
Whether her refusal to come out of her room was based on the pain of her poor self-esteem or the stubbornness of her own heart is not the issue. Either way, she was resisting the love that only King Solomon could give her.
Where are you today? Are you still trapped in the cave of self-pity, rejection and depression? If you are, you may well be in more danger than you even realize.
In Song of Solomon 2:11-17, we find that the Shulammite was in danger of missing her new season. By the time you come to Song of Solomon 4:8, her peril, however, had grown exponentially, for the room where she had been hiding had now become the den of lions and the haunt of leopards.
Do you see it yet? If you remain isolated and depressed because of the pain of your own heart, sooner or later, there is an enemy who will come to rend your soul.
Like a lion who normally hunts in the darkness, so your enemy, the devil, desires to feed off the wounded, hurting places in your heart.
Yet even if this is the predicament in which you find yourself today, it is no cause for despair. No matter how battered your self-esteem is, or how many lies you have been listening to, Jesus Christ says that your voice is sweet to Him, and your face is lovely.
For many of you, these words will put to rest one of your greatest fears. Deep in your heart, you have been wondering if He was calling you out so He could rebuke you or correct you for your wickedness.
Fortunately, your perceptions could not be farther from the truth. Jesus, the lover of your soul, is not calling you into punishment and pain. He is calling you into a loving embrace that will begin the healing in your troubled soul.
© Copyright 2005 by Jim Laffoon
|
