Becoming the Beloved Community

Song of Songs; Genesis 22I want to state categorically that our basic desire is to be loved. I doubt thiscomes as much of a surprise to anyone. We long to be shown that we are valuable,worthy, desirable, gifted and unique. No one escapes this. No matter how strange or seemly distorted someone’s expression may seem to be you can be sure that there is aspace within them that longs to be loved. We carry a built in hope for the BelovedCommunity. Before we look at our part and role in this community I want to spend sometime in God’s perspective on love and community.The biblical book Song of Songs or sometimes titled Song of Solomon carrieswith it a controversial history. This book does not explicitly mention God, prayer or anyreligious expression of worship. The book’s sole concern is about the intimacy andintensity of love. Responding to the unique nature of the book one commentator noteshow some consider it the highest expression of God’s love while others view it ascommon erotic literature from the ancient world. In many ways it can be read as amarriage of the two views.That this book addresses human love can hardly be denied. The chapters carry onabout desire and longing. Both the man and woman offer images and fantasies abouteach other as they wait to meet each other in private places. Expressions of deepromance are offered abundantly. The woman expresses that she is ‘faint with love’ whilethe man confesses that she has ‘stolen his heart’. This story however, is one of anticipation not consummation. In one chapter the woman is waked by her lover’sknocking at the door. She can’t wait to see him and her heart begins to pound but whenshe opens the door he is not there.

2We know that if this book is only read as a story of human love then it will likelylead to frustration or unrealistic expectations. The emotional energy expended betweenthe two lovers is simply unsustainable. There remains something in this story that westill long for, that we are still anticipating. And embedded in this book are phrases andimages that call to mind the relationship between God and God’s people. The opening paragraph of the book already establishes this imagery. The first verse refers to thewhole book as Solomon’s Song of Songs. Solomon is known primarily for two things.First, Solomon is known for his wisdom as the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastesattribute to him. Secondly, Solomon is known for building the Temple. In the TempleGod communed with Israel through the Holy of Holies. Holy of Holies and Song of Songs are the same type of phrase. They both point to the highest expression of something. They could be translated as the most holy place or the greatest of all songs,the song from which all songs come into being. The following lines, which were alreadyread, create even more associations with being in God’s holiness. Verses 2-4 read,

2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine.3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the young women love you!4 Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers.

This passage describes the experience of the woman, the filling of her senses; of taste,touch, sight, smell and sound. Though we may not think of it often the role of the sensesis central to worship both in Temple and even today. Think of a Sunday withcommunion and footwashing. The service touches all of our senses. The same is true inIsrael where sacrifices were tasted and incense smelled and fire was felt and hopefully

3then as today intimacy was experienced. From the very beginning and throughout the book we find a subtle layer of meaning added that draws the reader’s mind into images of how God relates to the world. From this layer of meaning a radical concept emerges of the Beloved Community of God.In the Beloved Community of God both the one and the whole are valued andunique. We know from other places in the Bible that God often views all of Israel as his bride or lover. What arises in the Song of Songs and what is developed more fully in the New Testament is that God is someone that we may as individuals seek a personalintimate relationship with and that God also wants, that God desires to be intimate witheach one of us. If we are to become the Beloved Community then we must understandthat each one of us is beloved of God. Listen to the words of the lover,9

you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes,. . .

How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine,and the fragrance of your perfumemore than any spice!

my dove, my perfect one, is unique,the only daughter of her mother,the favorite of the one who bore her.The young women saw her and called her blessed;

God loves you singularly, uniquely. If the Bible is to be believed then God is able to loveyou as if you are the only one. This is of course hard for us to believe because it soundslike God is just giving each one of us the same line. How is it that God can love each oneof us singularly and uniquely? There are other images that do make sense. One image of God is as a parent who loves each child equally. We receive the image of the GoodShepherd who will leave the flock of sheep and seek out and find the one individual