Too Much Time

Michael E. Wood
March 17, 2012

Song of Solomon 5:2-8


I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking.
“Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one,
for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”
I had put off my garment; how could I put it on?
I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them?
My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me.
I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh,
my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt.
I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone.
My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not;
I called him, but he gave no answer. The watchmen found me
as they went about in the city; they beat me, they bruised me,
they took away my veil, those watchmen of the walls.
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved,
that you tell him I am sick with love.

While there may be many who look to the Bible as a self help book, and especially to the Song of Solomon in relation to finding “marital bliss”, they miss the most important aspects of this love letter from our bridegroom, redeemer and friend. Oh how He draws our hearts out to Himself, as He speaks of His love for us. How easily it seems that we can be distracted at times by the multitude of temporal blessings and miss the Blessed One in whom is all our delight. And how can we convey the joy that is found in Christ alone if we go long without the enjoyment of His presence in our daily lives? If you can go days without number without the knowledge of His presence, you may have good reason to question if you have ever truly known Him or been known by Him.

Too much time without the knowledge of Your presence here
Is that which makes me shrink in my devotion to Your fear.
Oh come to me, remove the shackles of my temporal gain
That I might in deed and truth make more Your will so plain
That even such a little child shall know that they may come
And run into Your loving arms, each one as You they’re from;
Not only by creation as profound as that may be,
In Christ, the generation that Your glory they may see.


Oh send Your Holy Spirit as Your promise has foretold
That we in every aspect of Your truth may be more bold
To proclaim Your glory though this world may often test
The proof of Your sure council into which You make us rest,
Assured to all You purchased, Mighty Savior through the cross
To magnify Your Precious Name, Redeemer of all loss.


Oh how great the day will be when faith shall turn to sight
And we see You as You are; The Beauty of Your Might,
Where all in truth shall glorify with new immortal strains
Of praise to You who through Your blood has turned each loss to gain.