February 25, 2024
“My beloved has gone down to his garden, To the beds of balsam, To pasture his flock in the gardens And gather lilies. “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine, He who pastures his flock among the lilies.” Song of Songs 6:2-3 (NASB)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)
Over the past 3 weeks, we have looked at The Beauty of Love, The Pursuit of Love, and The Dance of Love. Today we conclude this month with a study into “The Garden of Love.” This is the last devotional from the book Song of Solomon. It is my hope that you have been blessed by what has been shared thus far.
As previously mentioned, February is often referred to as the “Love Month” mainly due to the celebration of Valentine’s Day, which falls on February 14th. Although Valentine’s Day is not an actual Christian holiday, its history is a fascinating blend of ancient Roman traditions, Christian influences, and more modern commercialization dedicated to expressing love and affection between partners, family members, and friends. While its origins are rooted in history and tradition, it has evolved into a celebration of love in many forms associated with the exchange of cards, flowers, chocolates, and romantic gestures.
Growing up in Texas my mother always had a garden. I can remember the beautiful, fresh vegetables she grew. I also remember the cultivation of the rich soil and the planting of a variety of vegetables, green beans, tomatoes, okra, onions, corn, and others. From her canning in the summer, we would have vegetables from the garden during the fall and winter months. Probably only my older brothers Eugene, and John and maybe my sister Judy can remember our mother’s garden. My sister Margaret has planted a garden in the past few years and enjoyed fresh vegetables. My gardens were more of flower gardens with an array of flowers.
In the Song of Solomon, “The Garden of Love” serves as a rich and multi-layered symbol that reflects the intricacy and complexity of human relationships, as well as the unlimited power of love. It also serves as a metaphor for the lovers’ bodies. Just as a garden requires care, nurturing, pruning, and cultivation to flourish, so too does the physical, emotional, and spiritual relationship between the lovers require the same care and devotion. It also represents a private and rich space where the marital lovers can freely express their intimacy and desire for each other.
What are you planting in your Garden of Love? Is it a fresh fruitful and life-giving nature of love representing the potential for growth, both in the lovers’ relationship and in your individual lives?
How fertile is the ground of your heart for love, respect, obedience, forgiveness, sacrifice, fellowship, desire, and intimacy? Is it a place of restoration and renewal, where marital lovers can find comfort, support, and rejuvenation amidst life’s challenges and hardships? It is a place of escape from the chaos of the world and reconnecting with each other and with your own inner selves.
Closing out this month on “Love” from Song of Solomon, what are you planting in God’s Garden of Love? Is it a paradisiac setting in your heart? A collection of fragrant flowers giving off a sweet aroma of love? Is there an abundance of the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Or are there any evoking images of thriving vegetation?
The Christian’s Garden
First, plant five rows of peas: Preparedness, Promptness, Perseverance, Politeness, and Prayer.
Next, to them plant three rows of squash:
Squash Gossip, Squash Criticism, and Squash Indifference.
Then five rows of lettuce:
Let us be Faithful, Let us be Unselfish, Let us be Loyal, Let us be Truthful, Let us Love One Another. And no garden is complete without turnips:
Turn up for Church, Turn up with a Smile, Turn up with Determination.
—Moody Monthly
HEART
CHALLENGE: What can you do to nurture love in your physical and emotional relationships and spiritual life? Song of Solomon is a book about the sensuous love husbands and wives should have for each other. True sensuous love is a giving love, not always a taking love or passive-aggressive display of aggression! The garden of love is also a pivotal theme that symbolizes various aspects of love, desire, and intimacy. As previously noted, the book “Song of Solomon,” is a poetic portrayal of love between a man and a woman, often interpreted allegorically as representing the love between God and Israel or Christ and the Church.
A FERTLE 
HEART: This is a place for growth and potential for abundance in the garden of love. It represents a garden’s fruitfulness where you can find a rich life-giving love that is the foundation for the transcendent power of love to grow and thrive.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your Word that provides us with clear instructions on how to cultivate love in our hearts and lives. God give us a fertile heart that is receptive to Your love to sow in the world. Thank You Father for the gift of Your love which gives us the rich soil to grow toward maturity in You, in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen.