1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:06,730 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,790 --> 00:00:13,379 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,060 Speaker 1: to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge, 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,900 Speaker 1: and today we're in Song of Solomon, Chapter 1, and 5 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:27,340 Speaker 1: we'll be reading from the New Living Translation. This is 6 00:00:27,430 --> 00:00:33,370 Speaker 1: Solomon's Song of Songs, more wonderful than any other. Kiss 7 00:00:33,430 --> 00:00:36,809 Speaker 1: me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter 8 00:00:36,850 --> 00:00:41,949 Speaker 1: than wine. How pleasing is your fragrance. Your name is 9 00:00:42,010 --> 00:00:46,629 Speaker 1: like the spreading fragrance of scented oils. No wonder all 10 00:00:46,690 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: the young women love you. Take me with you. Come, 11 00:00:50,409 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: let's run. The king has brought me into his bedroom. 12 00:00:55,660 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: How happy we are for you, O king. We praise 13 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,500 Speaker 1: your love even more than wine. how right they are 14 00:01:03,580 --> 00:01:08,059 Speaker 1: to adore you. I am dark but beautiful, O women 15 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:13,020 Speaker 1: of Jerusalem. Dark as the tents of Kedar, dark as 16 00:01:13,060 --> 00:01:17,420 Speaker 1: the curtains of Solomon's tents. Don't stare at me because 17 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:21,970 Speaker 1: I am dark. The sun has darkened my skin. My 18 00:01:22,030 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: brothers were angry with me. They forced me to care 19 00:01:25,340 --> 00:01:28,830 Speaker 1: for their vineyards, so I couldn't care for myself, my 20 00:01:28,930 --> 00:01:33,970 Speaker 1: own vineyard. Tell me, my love, Where are you leading 21 00:01:34,050 --> 00:01:38,190 Speaker 1: your flock today? Where will you rest your sheep at noon? 22 00:01:39,050 --> 00:01:42,610 Speaker 1: For why should I wander like a prostitute among your 23 00:01:42,790 --> 00:01:48,370 Speaker 1: friends and their flocks? If you don't know, O most 24 00:01:48,450 --> 00:01:53,550 Speaker 1: beautiful woman, follow the trail of my flock and graze 25 00:01:53,610 --> 00:01:59,030 Speaker 1: your young goats by the shepherd's tents. You are as exciting, 26 00:01:59,090 --> 00:02:04,350 Speaker 1: my darlings, as a mare among Pharaoh's stallions. How lovely 27 00:02:04,490 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: are your cheeks! Your earrings set them afire. How lovely 28 00:02:09,740 --> 00:02:14,540 Speaker 1: is your neck, enhanced by a string of jewels. We 29 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:18,380 Speaker 1: will make you earrings of gold and beads of silver. 30 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,430 Speaker 1: The king is lying on his couch, enchanted by the 31 00:02:23,540 --> 00:02:27,770 Speaker 1: fragrance of my perfume. My lover is like a sachet 32 00:02:27,830 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: of myrrh. lying between my breasts. He is like a 33 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: bouquet of sweet henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. 34 00:02:38,020 --> 00:02:42,460 Speaker 1: How beautiful you are, my darling, how beautiful! Your eyes 35 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:47,980 Speaker 1: are like doves. You are so handsome, my love, pleasing 36 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:53,260 Speaker 1: beyond words. The soft grass is our bed, fragrant cedar 37 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:58,410 Speaker 1: branches are the beams of our house, and pleasant-smelling firs 38 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:07,630 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and 39 00:03:07,650 --> 00:03:09,530 Speaker 1: we thank you for the privilege of being able to 40 00:03:09,570 --> 00:03:12,570 Speaker 1: look at this portion of Scripture. We thank you, Lord, 41 00:03:12,650 --> 00:03:16,350 Speaker 1: for the love that's illustrated between husband and wife. And 42 00:03:16,370 --> 00:03:19,250 Speaker 1: we're grateful, Lord, that when we look throughout the course 43 00:03:19,290 --> 00:03:23,079 Speaker 1: of your word, you remind us that marital love is 44 00:03:23,139 --> 00:03:26,100 Speaker 1: meant to be a picture of the love of your Son, 45 00:03:26,180 --> 00:03:30,230 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, for the church. So Lord, we're grateful for 46 00:03:30,290 --> 00:03:33,190 Speaker 1: the deep and abiding love that you have for us. 47 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,020 Speaker 1: We pray that that love would be reflected in our marriages. 48 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,660 Speaker 1: And we pray, Lord, that you would use our relationships 49 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,300 Speaker 1: as a testimony that points to the fact that you 50 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: are a loving God who is concerned for our well-being 51 00:03:48,020 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: and concerned for our every need and delights to provide 52 00:03:51,540 --> 00:03:55,950 Speaker 1: for us your presence and a future in your kingdom 53 00:03:56,370 --> 00:04:00,220 Speaker 1: that we have the privilege to enjoy forever. We love you, Lord, 54 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:01,970 Speaker 1: and we thank you for the fact that you loved 55 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,770 Speaker 1: us first. We commit this day to your care, and 56 00:04:04,810 --> 00:04:08,410 Speaker 1: we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.