14th March 2026

14th March 2026


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Song of Solomon 1v1-2v6) 


Message (Scott Woodburn)


It's true that sometimes it's better to go along to get along. What do I mean? Imagine a situation with nothing much at stake. You have no strong opinions on where to go for dinner and you don't really mind if Saturday night is spent watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the seventh time. You go along with decisions because causing trouble over minor issues isn't that worthwhile.


Nevertheless, there are certainly moments in life that war is to be preferred over peace. Before we consider the often passionate words of the Song of Solomon I think it's important that we try to understand the setting of the Song. There are countless different interpretations of this book. Some see it as allegory about Christ and His church, others think it is a collection of love poems and others believe it is a story about the love between Solomon and his bride.


I may not be correct in my own thinking but I will be preaching the Song in this way - a beautiful woman has been taken from her home and brought into the hareem of Solomon (1v4) where she is presented with the option of becoming one of Solomon's many wives and concubines. The ladies of Jerusalem are those who sometimes speak to her throughout the song and I think they are fellow members of Solomon's hareem - they wonder why she doesn't just go with the flow.


If this young woman gave herself to Solomon then she would know comfort throughout the rest of her days but as we quickly see in the Song, the woman does not want Solomon but she longs for her true love. She wants the kisses of her lover (1v2) and she finds his love better than wine (1v2a) and so you can imagine her despair at being carried away to the royal palace. No wonder then that she urges her lover to draw her after him in order for them to run away together (1v4a).


Matters of the heart are not trivial and our relationships require much work but here in the Song of Solomon we meet a young woman who is not prepared to be squeezed into a relationship of sinful convenience but instead she demands the best. Brothers and sisters, guard your hearts, work hard at your relationships and be mindful of making the decision which costs little today but everything tomorrow. Honour Christ in your relationships.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q15 What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created? The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.
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