Song of Solomon 1:1-4:16, 2 Corinthians 8:16-24, Psalm 50:1-23, Proverbs 22:22-23
Pray: Lord, grant me tenacious, winsome courage as I go through this day. When I am tempted to give up, help me to keep going. Grant me a cheerful spirit when things don't go my way. And give me courage to do whatever needs to be done. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Read: Saturated with stories of sexual escapades, secret rendezvous, and extramarital affairs, today’s media teaches that immorality means freedom, perversion is natural, and commitment is old fashioned. Sex, created by God and pronounced good in Eden, has been twisted, exploited, and turned into an urgent, illicit, casual, and self-gratifying activity. Love has turned to lust, giving into getting, and lasting commitment into “no strings attached”. There is much debate over the meaning of this song. Some say it is allegorical for God’s love of Israel and the church, others see it as a literal story of married love. Most say it is both. As we begin to read from Song of Solomon, remember that you are loved by God, and commit yourself to seeing life, sex and marriage from His point of view.
Edify: I love the practicality, the honesty that is practiced in the Bible. In second Corinthians we hear of “another brother” traveling with Paul and Titus. The churches that Paul and Titus were traveling to elected this man as an accountability partner for Paul and Titus as they deliver the large financial gift to Jerusalem. While there was never any accusation of wrongdoing, it was just a practice. Paul explained that by traveling together there could be no suspicion and people would know that the gift was being handled honestly. The church did not need to worry that the bearers of the gift would misuse the money.
Practice: Take a few minutes today to think about your own accountability practices. What safeguards do you have in your life that keep you from “running aground” in even the calmest of weather? Do you have boundaries in your interactions with others? Do you have safeguards in place on your technology? What could you do better in an effort to ensure that no one could ever accuse you of not living above reproach?
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