As I strolled through the greeting card aisle at my favorite Hallmark store, I perused the choices for a Valentines card for my hubby. I repeat the same diatribe in my head each year. Do I go silly or serious? I seem to have many choices… fun and flirty, or sentimental and romantic. Which way will I tell my husband that I love him? And which card will he pick for me? My mind is a flurry, not to mention my heart.
I am grateful to report that no matter what card my husband chooses for me, it’s the words he writes by hand that always speak to my heart. He has a way of reflecting on our current situation, noting both challenging and uplifting events from the previous year, and always concluding that we, he and I, are in this life together, that the seal on this relationship remains firmly stuck in place.
I am thankful for those words. I do not take for granted that he takes the time to write them. But I am especially pleased that he considers each year an opportunity to walk together down this road called marriage. And each time I read the words scribbled on the card, I am reminded of the importance of telling my husband how I truly feel, especially as it applies to love.
The Bible is filled with verses describing both God’s love for his people and also how His people are to love others. Maybe your mind goes directly to John 3:16, or 1 Corinthians 13. But when it comes to sharing your heart with your husband, I can’t think of a better book than Song of Solomon.
Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs, is a magnificent love poem describing the Godly, fervent love between Solomon and his wife. Read a few of the passionate words of a love-sick couple.
She
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,
for your love is more delightful than wine.
Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.” Song of Solomon 1:2-3
He
“How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.” Song of Solomon 1:15
She
“How handsome you are, my beloved!
Oh, how charming!
And our bed is verdant.” Song of Solomon 1:16
He
“My dove in the clefts of the rock,
in the hiding places on the mountainside,
show me your face, let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” Song of Solomon 2:14
He
“As a lily among brambles,
so is my love among the young women.” Song of Solomon 2:2
She
“As an apple tree among the trees of the forest,
so is my beloved among the young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” Song of Solomon 2:3
It looks like Solomon might support my husband’s scribbling on the card, and might encourage me to do the same. Expressing our love to our mate might be considered to be beneficial, encouraging, and even recommended.
Some scholars point to Song of Solomon as a picture of Christ’s love for the church. Others say the Song is an allegory of sacred love between God and Israel or Christ and the soul. But many scholars cannot seem to fully push aside the beauty of the Song as poetry, a collection of verses celebrating God’s gift of love between man and woman. And as you read in this exchange between Solomon and his beloved, there is no holding back of their affections.
If that is true, then my love for my hubby is a gift I fully receive but strive to not keep. Because every bit I give away, whether in the form of a card, caring words, or loving actions, is simply a reflection of the perfect love that first came from God himself.
So this year, buy that card—silly or serious—but take a stab at writing your own thoughts too. After all, God wrote a pretty lengthy love letter for all of His people to read. We can at least participate in sharing that gift with the one we call our beloved.
