In last week's lesson, focusing on Song of Solomon 2:3-4, we discovered the truth that the God of the Universe loves you individually. H desires to be alone with you. He doesn't want to share you with others. His eyes are ONLY on YOU! Now let's look at this last lesson on how much God desires to be with us, from Song of Solomon 8:6-7:

"Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing - it sweeps everything before it. Floodwaters can't drown love, torrents of rain can't put it out. Love can't be bought, love can't be sold - it's not to be found in the marketplace." (Song 8:6-7 from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Love. Invincible. Facing danger and death. Laughing at the terrors of hell. Sweeping everything before it. Can't be bought or sold . . . What beautiful imagery! But if you are like me and aren't overly poetic, you're probably asking yourself, "What does this REALLY mean???"

Friends, in order to truly comprehend this definition of love, it becomes necessary to revisit the story of the cross! Let's take a look:

"Love is invincible facing danger and death." When Jesus came to this Earth, He truly faced dangers and death. Not just an ordinary death, but the most horrible death possible. Death on the cross. His love was invincible. He didn't back down!

"Passion laughs at the terrors of hell." Jesus' love for us took Him to the gates of hell. That's how much He loved us!

"The fire of love stops at nothing - it sweeps everything before it. Floodwaters can't drown love, torrents of rain can't put it out." Although Jesus was physically tortured beyond what any human can imagine, but His mental anguish must have been far worse. Imagine, being cut off from your source of life! Imagine having all of your dear friends abandon you! Imagine being so treated by the VERY ONES you have come to save! Yet the "floodwaters" of torture couldn't put out His love! He went to the cross anyway!

"Love can't be bought, love can't be sold - it's not to be found in the marketplace." Jesus must have been sorely tempted to deny who He was, to avoid it all. And why not? The ones He was doing it for mocked Him. His only friends denied Him. Yet "love can't be bought, love can't be sold". Jesus didn't yield to temptation. He "endured the cross, despising the shame" (Heb. 12:2). That's how much He loves us! This is TRUE love.

And if Jesus loves you that much, don't make His love worth nothing! If you've never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and would like to do so, (insert web address)

Enough to ponder for today. Please DO ponder this though, my friends. Ponder the truth that God desires to be with each of you SO much that He comes leaping over mountains and valleys to stand at the gate for just for ONE look at you. His eyes are only for you, and when you so much as look His way, He falls in love with you all over again! The depth of His love drove Him to face death-the death of the cross. It drove Him to the gates of hell for you. Even the beatings, the false accusations and torment He endured couldn't drown His love for you. His love couldn't be bought or sold by temptation. His love is truly invincible!

Please join us next Saturday for Lessons on Relationships From Solomon, Lesson 9, where we'll begin to look at just how much God cares for your intimate thoughts and feelings!

In His love,

Lyn

Lyn Chaffart, moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets ( www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons ), Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org .