The Dove of Love

UV 1220/10,000 The Dove of Love
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
Song of Solomon 2 v 14

This uni-verse reflects the romance in the relationship between the Saviour and the saved, between God and the believer. We can say with exuberance, “ My beloved is mine and I am His and His banner over me is love.” A personal relationship with the Creator-Redeemer is an intense love relationship. We love to see each other and hear each other as often as possible like lovers. The kingdom of God is not a kingdom of power but of love. The metaphor used in the Song of Solomon is that the believer is the unlikely lover of the king.

Each believer is gentle and vulnerable like a dove. But we are protected in the clefts of the Rock of history that is Jesus. There are different types of clefts in a rock cliff for different types of protective need- protection from physical danger and assault, protection from the temptation of our own inner weaknesses, protection from powerful foes, protection of our testimonies and our faith. We use the wings of prayer and the Word to fly to find our shelter, our refuge from the storms of life in the rock canopy of His love. He reveals the secrets of life and of His law and promises that become like a stairway for us to reach the chamber of the bridegroom. Our longing must be to hear His voice and to meditate on His precious promises to redeem us.

When we seek to see the face of our beloved Saviour, His countenance will shine on us and His light and grace will radiate on our lives. Prayer is a kind of “love talk” between God and man. Scripture upholds love as the greatest gift for which a believer should aspire to possess and exhibit. It is not a physical or erotic love or even metaphysical or platonic love but an attitude that is not jealous or conceited or proud or bitter. It is a demeanour full of hope, confidence, optimism and joy in the Lord. By virtue of this attitude and demeanour, we do not hold either a record of wrongs or a record of favours done. We are patient implying that we are willing to wait for the Lord to act. We are not to be impulsive or impetuous. It is not a mere emotional feeling or transient mood but a relationship that is eternal or lasts forever. We are not self seeking but seek the glory of God and the good of all. We use the grace of God that is given freely to attain the glory of God. We are not easily provoked or irritable. We are not rude or impolite. We do not rejoice in what is evil but rejoices in the truth. We cling to what is good, positive, wholesome and reject what is evil, negative and unwholesome. The agape love of God enables us to bear all things, to believe all things in His Word, to endure all things we suffer in this life without grumbling or murmuring but with all faith, hope and thanksgiving.

Prateep V Philip