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 --> 00:00:13,620 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening 3 00:00:13,660 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge, 4 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,380 Speaker 1: and today we're in Song of Solomon, Chapter 2, and 5 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:28,570 Speaker 1: we'll be reading from the contemporary English version. She Speaks 6 00:00:29,990 --> 00:00:33,150 Speaker 1: I am merely a rose from the land of Sharon, 7 00:00:33,610 --> 00:00:39,089 Speaker 1: a lily from the valley. He speaks, My darling, when 8 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: compared with other young women, you are a lily among thorns. 9 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: She speaks, And you, my love, are an apple tree 10 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:54,090 Speaker 1: among trees of the forest. Your shade brought me pleasure. 11 00:00:54,670 --> 00:00:58,550 Speaker 1: Your fruit was sweet. You led me to your banquet room. 12 00:00:58,850 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: and showered me with love. Refresh and strengthen me with 13 00:01:03,460 --> 00:01:08,119 Speaker 1: raisins and apples. I am hungry for love. Put your 14 00:01:08,180 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: left hand under my head and embrace me with your 15 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: right arm. Young women of Jerusalem, promise me by the 16 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:21,010 Speaker 1: power of deer and gazelles never to awaken love before 17 00:01:21,069 --> 00:01:25,410 Speaker 1: it is ready. She Speaks I hear the voice of 18 00:01:25,470 --> 00:01:28,950 Speaker 1: the one I love as he comes leaping over mountains 19 00:01:29,130 --> 00:01:33,250 Speaker 1: and hills like a deer or a gazelle. Now he 20 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: stands outside our wall, looking through the window and speaking 21 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:44,890 Speaker 1: to me. He speaks. My darling, I love you. Let's 22 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:49,150 Speaker 1: go away together. Winter is past. The rain has stopped. 23 00:01:49,830 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: Flowers cover the earth. It's time to sing. The cooing 24 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: of doves is heard in our land. Fig trees are 25 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:03,059 Speaker 1: bearing fruit, while blossoms on grapevines fill the air with perfume. 26 00:02:04,060 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: My darling, I love you. Let's go away together. You 27 00:02:09,030 --> 00:02:12,910 Speaker 1: are my dove, hiding among the rocks, on the side 28 00:02:12,950 --> 00:02:16,570 Speaker 1: of a cliff. Let me see how lovely you are. 29 00:02:17,290 --> 00:02:21,750 Speaker 1: Let me hear the sound of your melodious voice. Our 30 00:02:21,910 --> 00:02:26,150 Speaker 1: vineyards are in blossom. We must catch the little foxes 31 00:02:26,230 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: that destroy the vineyards. She speaks, My darling, I am 32 00:02:33,380 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: yours and you are mine, as you feed your sheep 33 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:41,899 Speaker 1: among the lilies. Pretend to be a young deer dancing 34 00:02:42,060 --> 00:02:46,940 Speaker 1: on mountain slopes until daylight comes and shadows fade away. 35 00:02:49,460 --> 00:02:54,140 Speaker 1: Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word, and 36 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: we thank you for the fact that love is illustrated 37 00:02:58,340 --> 00:03:02,860 Speaker 1: in very poetic terms in this portion of Scripture. We 38 00:03:02,940 --> 00:03:06,710 Speaker 1: see the love between husband and wife, and we're reminded 39 00:03:06,830 --> 00:03:09,590 Speaker 1: of the deep love that you desire to be present 40 00:03:09,630 --> 00:03:14,190 Speaker 1: within the context of marriage. Likewise, Lord, we know that 41 00:03:14,610 --> 00:03:18,190 Speaker 1: through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, we are united 42 00:03:18,230 --> 00:03:21,620 Speaker 1: to him like a bride is united to the bridegroom. 43 00:03:22,430 --> 00:03:25,510 Speaker 1: And these illustrations of love that we see referenced in 44 00:03:25,570 --> 00:03:28,660 Speaker 1: your word give us a picture of the deep nature 45 00:03:28,780 --> 00:03:32,740 Speaker 1: of love that you have for us. So we're grateful, Lord, 46 00:03:32,780 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: to be recipients of that love. We're grateful that we 47 00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: are beneficiaries of your goodness toward us. And we pray, Lord, 48 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: that as we're recipients of your love, that we would 49 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,900 Speaker 1: likewise show love to others in such a way that 50 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,190 Speaker 1: you receive glory. We love you, Lord, and we thank 51 00:03:48,210 --> 00:03:49,990 Speaker 1: you for your word. And we thank you for the 52 00:03:50,050 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: opportunity to read it together today. We commit this day 53 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: to your care, and we pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.