February 11, 2024
“You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” John 15:16-17 (NRSV)
“ No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise that person up on the last day.” John 6:44 (NRSV)
“When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (NRSV)
“How beautiful you are, my love, how very beautiful! Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, moving down the slopes of Gilead.” Song of Songs 4:1a (NRSV)
As mentioned last week, the month of February is often referred to as the “Love Month” and this month we are looking at the book of Song of Solomon often referred to as the Song of Songs. It is a beautiful love story, extremely personal, passionate, deeply intimate, and descriptive! It has been described as one of the greatest love letters ever written! It is only one love poem celebrating the intimacy of human love that has been completely inspired by the Holy Spirit in the canon of Scripture.
Our theme this week is “The Pursuit of Love” as referenced in chapters 3 and 4. In fact, it is a central theme in the book Song of Solomon. Their pursuit of love is passionate and relentless, demonstrating the power of love to overcome obstacles and endure through trials. The themes of 
pursuit and longing in these chapters emphasize the depth of the lovers’ connection and the intensity of their desire for each other.
In both of the chapters, there is a sense of anticipation and yearning as the lovers seek out each other. Their pursuit of love is passionate and relentless, demonstrating the power of love to overcome obstacles and endure through trials.
How is your own pursuit of God’s love and His presence?
The Word of God commands that we pursue God and when we do, He promises we will find HIM! I am reminded that God has pursued us from the very beginning of time. In Genesis chapter 3 when Adam and Eve sinned, they ran away from God hiding among the trees of the garden, however, God pursued them! “The Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?” in verse 9. It was the first missionary effort, as the Creator sought out His lost creatures. God has always had a heart of reconciliation. Furthermore, the entire Bible is the story of God pursuing us. He reminds us in Jeremiah 29:13. “When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.” (NRSV) God pursues us because we are important to Him, being created in His image Jesus’ mission on earth was to “seek and to save that which is lost” as noted in Luke 19:10. To seek something is to pursue it!
One of my favorite Scriptures in the Bible John 15:16-17, to know that God pursues His children is You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. (NRSV)
The ultimate pursuit is God’s loving and passionate pursuit of us. He loved us so much that He sent His beloved Son to die in our place in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned, but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. (NRSV) There was absolutely no way we could reach Him through our efforts, He reached down to us. He pursues us even when we are underserving of His love and grace. PRAISE GOD for His undying compassionate and incomprehensible LOVE!
Also, in both chapters 3 and 4, there is a sense of anticipation and yearning as the lovers seek each other out. Solomon beautifully portrays
the themes of pursuit and yearning with desire in the context of romantic love, using vivid imagery and poetic language to capture the depth of emotion between the lovers. Their pursuit of love is passionate and relentless, demonstrating the power of love to overcome obstacles and endure through trials. Comparatively, we see that the Spirit of God is trying to show us Christ’s love for us. It is expressed through this very wonderful personal relationship. It shows us the love of Christ for the church and His love for the individual Believer in Christ. This is the love song of the Bridegroom or the love song of the Lord Jesus Christ.
HEART
CHALLENGE: Love is the greatest gift that God! He offers His love to us and often it is the one gift we have difficulty receiving. Is it because we do not think, we deserve it (and we often don’t) or we simply do not understand this love? Thank You Father God for this precious gift of love! God’s love is not based on emotion but flows from His changeless character.
I John 4:8-10 reminds us that God is love! “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (NIV) This means that it is impossible for Him to do anything contrary to His nature His love will forever remain certain and dependable God has always loved us and always will so we can rest under the canopy of His love!
A PURSUING 
HEART: God’s pursuit is for our good and there is no greater honor in the universe than being the objects of the Lord God Almighty’s pursuit. God continues to pursue those who have trusted in Christ for salvation. Through His indwelling Holy Spirit:
~ God Comforts – James 4:8. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. (NLT)
~ God Corrects –2 Timothy 3:16. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (NLT)
~ God Disciplines – Romans 8:29. “ For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like his Son so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (NLT) He disciplines us as part of His work in conforming us to the image of His Son. He compels His children to obey His Word.
God pursues a deeper commitment from us because it is only as we abide in Him and He in us that we can bear much fruit for His kingdom! John 15:1-8 says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” (NASB)
As a shepherd hunts for a lost sheep or a mother search for a missing child,
love compels us to seek the one we love. Love is not passive but tenaciously
active and vigorous, it refuses to give up on people. The same
God constantly pursues us because of His great love for us love which is
characterized by action more than by affection.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your Word that provides us with clear instructions on how to pursue You. We thank You because Your pursuit of us is for our good. There is no greater honor in the world than being the object of Your almighty pursuit, in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen.