Throughout the Song the Bride’s mother speaks of the Church; her mother’s sons then are her brothers. The sons were angry at her zeal and passion she displays for her Beloved. This speaks symbolically of spiritually dull leaders who don’t embrace fervent believers. People on-fire for God bring conviction to those who are apathetic in their walk with the Lord. A person who hungers for more of God and demonstrates passion in their worship and devotion challenges other believers who may be stagnant and complacent in their walk. Not only does a lovesick believer‘s life bring conviction to those who are lukewarm, but often these hungry, fiery lovers of God are full of zeal yet lack wisdom and humility, thus provoking even more anger.
Often in the life of a believer who is on-fire and lovesick, their desire to please the Lord causes them to engage in any and every ministry they can be involved in. They have an exuberance to serve their Beloved by serving others. Unfortunately, undiscerning or “angry” leaders will take advantage of the enthusiasm of these fiery ones, giving them many responsibilities in different “vineyards.” But if one is not first tending to their own vineyard, it does not take long to burn-out. So we find in the Church those who started their ministries with passion and zeal but somehow have become more focused on the serving than on their First Love. They allow the pressures and demands for their time to replace the intimate times of devotion that initiated the burning with passion.
Have you ever seen a leader in the Church advise someone who is on-fire and lovesick just to stay in the secret place for a season and continue to develop their intimacy with the Lord? Has anyone ever encouraged you to be “so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good” – I don’t suppose they mean so transformed in mind that you can actually bring the Kingdom of God into life’s circumstances and change the atmosphere around you! What is “earthy good” anyway? Aren’t we called to be separated, strangers and aliens in this world? Isn’t our citizenship in Heaven? Didn’t God say that friendship with the world was adultery with Him? I love the way the Lord defended Mary when her sister brought charges against her saying to Jesus “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?” Jesus replied “only a few things are necessary, really only one…” (Luke 10:38-42) Let us represent the heart of Jesus and encourage one another into deeper places of prayer and intimacy.
Our first commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength. With all the demands that life places on our time, let us be careful to not neglect our own “vineyard.” Our ministry should be an overflow of our intimacy with the Lord as we spend time listening to His heart beat and letting Him place His love and compassion in our heart.
Devotional Prayer
Lord, I thank you that I was created to be Your bride, and you long for intimacy in our relationship. Holy Spirit, search my heart to reveal areas in my life where I have wrongly given priority of my time and have neglected to cultivate my relationship with You. Give me the boldness to guard our time together even if it means saying no to friends, family, and ministries that press me for time. Let my heart beat as one with Yours so that I may overflow with Your love to those around me. I want to be a fiery, passionate, lover of God all the days of my life!
