Bible Reading: Song of Solomon 3
“I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not” – Song of Solomon 3:2 (KJV).
The picture in this narrative shows how God chases after the lost and possible ways people respond to the pursuit of God; sometimes such response is so reluctant. We often delay in responding to God’s lovely advances towards us. God shows up to create hunger and arouse our feelings for him. Delay could be dangerous. Another way people respond is to procrastinate. A response of postponement to a perceived better or more convenient time, we sometimes want to serve God on our own terms. The scriptures say to serve God in the days of our youth while the evil days come when we will no longer have pleasure in spiritual things (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Satan can distract us and get us so busy in shadow chasing. We could get so busy focusing on carnal things that we fail to respond when we should. “While it is said, today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” – Hebrews 4:15 (KJV).
One can miss divine opportunities for encounter and blessing because of delay and procrastination. Life comes in seasons so we should learn to respect the various seasons of life so as not to miss God’s visitation.
Here, we see a dogged pursuit, the pursuer refused to give up. Though he missed his love at the first pursuit he never gave up. He enquired from the watchman if they saw his beloved but their failure to help could not deter or discourage him. He passed over them in search of the one his soul loves. He found him, he held him, this time, he would not let go. He grabbed the opportunity, he brought his lover home, He opened the door for his lover and let him in (Song of Solomon 3:2-4).
Unfortunately, today, many have locked the lover of their soul outside their hearts. But like a hard chaser and loving father, he keeps knocking, hoping that they will open and let him in.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to hold you tight and never let go.
Rev. Vincent Diolu