My Beloved.

I am my Beloved’s and He is mine. My Beloved is mine and I am His.

There is no one so tender as my Beloved, so perfect in love, so relentless in pursuit. Taste of His goodness you who are weary, you who are restless, you who are discontent, you whose hearts long in deep places.

While I was unaware, while I chased other lovers, while I longed for what I knew not, He fixed His gaze upon me.

His heart churned within Him. He determined He would have me. And He would. He won me. He drew me away. He drew me to Himself. He brought me into the wilderness.

He caused every broken cistern to run dry. He hedged my way in with thorns. He walled my heart in so that it could not find its paths.

My heart was unfaithful. Yet He reached out always. He would not relent. He called to me. “Oh Sarah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like the morning cloud, and like the early dew it goes away.”

He taught me to walk, taking me by my arms, but I did not know that it was Him. I did not know that over and over again, it was He who healed me, He who upheld my steps, He who guarded my wondering heart.

Yet He did not forsake me. He only drew me, drew me to Himself, the Great Lover, the God-Man Jesus, the One beautiful from everlasting to everlasting, the Darling of Heaven.

He bent to feed me. He drew me with gentle cords, with bonds of love. And He was to me as those who take the yoke from my neck. I was hopeless. I was empty. I was broken.

He said to me, “Sarah, you are destroyed. He has done it. But your help is from ME. I will be your King.”And He healed my backsliding. He loved me freely.

He delivered me because He delights in me. He ransomed me from the power of the grave. He said to my enemy, “O Death I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction.” And He crushed the head of my enemy. He paid a price I cannot know, to purchase me back for Himself.

Yet still my heart was cold. Still I was not found faithful.

I heard him knocking. He says, “Open for me my love, my dove, my perfect one.” Yet I slept! I had taken off my robe; how could I put it on again? I had washed my feet; how could I defile them? He, the Lover of my Soul, put his hand by the latch of the door. My heart was awakened. It yearned for him. I arose to open for Him. I opened for Him, but my Beloved had turned away and was gone. I sought Him, but I could not find Him. And I was made lovesick.

Then behold, He allured me, He brought me into the wilderness. There He spoke comfort to me. He made my Valley of Compromise, a gateway of hope. He spoke comfort to me and I sang to Him there. For though He had torn, He healed me. Though He had stricken, He bound me up. He revived me.

He betrothed me to himself forever. Yes, He, my Beloved, betrothed me to Himself. In righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy, He betrothed me to Him in faithfulness. He told me to no longer call Him ‘My Master’ but said to me, “You will call me my Husband.”

He took from my mouth the name of every other love; I don’t remember them anymore. He is like the dew to me. What have I to do with other loves? What have I to do anymore with idols?

For I was dark, but He called me lovely. And His love is better than wine.

I am lovesick for Him. He has said to me, “Rise up my love, and come away! To the secret places of the cliff, to the clefts of the rock.” For He wants to see my face; He wants to hear my voice, for my voice is sweet to Him, and He has called me lovely.

I have found the One my soul loves. And when I found Him, I held Him. I will not let Him go. He calls me fair. He sees no spot in me. I have ravished His heart. And He has ravished mine. Therefore, until the day breaks and the shadows flee away, I will go my way to the mountain of myrrh.

My beloved is handsome! Chief among ten thousand. His head is like the finest gold. His countenance is like Lebanon. His countenance shines like the sun in all its strength. His voice is as the sound of rushing waters. He is altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my friend.

I am a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. But awake, O North Wind, and come O South! Blow upon my garden. Let my Beloved come into his garden. For He has won my heart forever.

I will set Him as a seal upon my heart, a seal upon my arm. His jealousy is as strong as the grave, and many waters cannot quench this love.

Oh love Him with me, you His saints! Long for Him with me, you His Bride! Awaken unto love, Wife of the Lamb! This is Your Beloved. Look upon Him and love.