Know God - Day 21

Song of Solomon 4

Is this a series of love poems? A love opera? An allegory? A celebration of sex? A celebration of love between God and his people? Personally -  if anyone told me my teeth were like a flock of sheep just shorn - I'd laugh them out of the room.  The images this chapter brought to my mind were not the most romantic to say the least!

But what is God saying to us?
Pastor is using the last interpretation - a celebration of love between God and his people.  In our hearts, do we find God this passionate for us?  I believe that he is aware of all our details.  That he rejoices in us and truly loves us.  Passion? I don't know. After the past few weeks, I am inclined to say yes.

Ecclesiastes 1; 2; 3:1-8
What does God say to us here? Outright - nothing.  Pastor tells us these are human reflections. the end result of a life spent chasing after wisdom. chasing after wind (one translation wrote 'spitting into the wind'.)  The only certain in life is death (and taxes but lets not think about that).  What happens to everything you've gained, earned, accumulated and pleasured yourself with?  You are still dead. It is meaningless or 'smoke'.

God is speaking in the nothingness, the hollowness of Solomon's words.  The loud whisper is that all of the 'stuff' on earth will go away - He's the only guarantee. The only forever. The only thing worth chasing.

How are we chasing after the wind?  I am all too often guilty of acquiring too much 'stuff'. I love old books. The feel. the smell. the sound of the pages turning. They won't go with me, yet I have shelf upon shelf full of them in my house (and need more shelves!)  I also try to improve in my career field.  I love what I do - seeing someone go from a devastating stroke to able to communicate and eat again is always a blessing.  I volunteer - sometimes too much. I have trouble saying 'no' when asked to do something, thus stealing time from my family and others.  This doesn't always have an eternal impact and saying 'no' from time to time is perfectly ok.

What is one thing we can do to become a God-Chaser? for me, I am getting into the bible every single day.  I am doing this study and a chronological bible reading - and writing about it.  I am not using any aids in this except sometimes other translations or a thesaurus to better understand a word or two.  I have only done this for 21 days (how long until something is a habit?).  I have seen some changes in my thoughts and desires.  But I am not holding my breath for anything huge happening.  I don't have to run fast to chase God - I just have to be pointed in the right direction and stay on the path.  (easier said than done at times...what was that about curiosity???)