The Roses

Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 8:6

Today's Treasure: "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame" (Song of Songs 8:6).

By the time both my daughters were in high school, we were fully immersed in Girl World. However, Girl World has a magnetic attraction for Guy World and we were rarely lacking in male company. Thankfully, the girls had pretty fair taste, so they rarely invited anyone to our home that I couldn't tolerate. Keith did not share my sentiments. They never introduced him to a single one he could tolerate. Don't get the wrong idea. These were fine young men. Keith is just.well.Keith.

When I heard him making a sound like a horse blowing its lips, I always assumed a young man had shown up with a bouquet of flowers. I, of course, had to compensate for Keith's lack of appreciation. I would gush profusely and offer to put them in water. I then would yell something upstairs like, "Just wait until you see what a nice surprise this young man has for you. Why don't you hurry right down and see them?" Emphasis on hurry.

I remember once standing in the kitchen trimming the stems of a dozen red roses given to Melissa. Somehow that display of endearment was almost too much even for me. As I trimmed each one and put it in the vase, so many thoughts swirled through my mind. I didn't think my child was in love at the time, but I knew she was plenty old enough to feel the real thing. It was just a matter of time until each of my girls would give her heart away. As I carefully managed my way around the thorns, I thought how much true love hurts. Pierces. Even at best. How it complicates life. What a risk it can be. Still, after I arranged all twelve roses in the vase and surrounded them with baby's breath, I stood back and marveled at the incredible beauty. Nothing so delicate.so perfect.as a deep crimson rose-nor what it represents in any language. I would not wish my daughters free of the risk and the complexity of cupid love for anything. In time. In God's plan. I believe in romance.

Human love is always imperfect love, but God has sentimentally chosen to whisper hints of the perfect through its imperfections. Through the flawed, He kindles faith for the flawless, awakening the mortal heart to a brush with the immortal. Such love suggests that there is still stuff of heaven falling to earth. For true love is by its nature selfless, sacrificial.and there is nothing in the heart of man so divine. It is a gift of God.even at times graced upon the godless to bear His witness. To have fallen in love hints to our hearts that all of earthly life is not hopelessly fallen. Love is the laughter of God.

The love between a man and a woman is like the intimately and mysteriously closed hand of God held behind His back. He watches for moments to stretch forth His hand

and unfold a grand surprise. These are some of life's more perfect moments. Love breaks the cynic's heart and unmasks the façade of the most mature, leaving its captives jumping up and down like children. We can control ourselves through anger and rage far more masterfully than love. Love is a master. Divine love is our Master. Indeed, the marriage of two so diverse yet overtaken by love is exactly what God created and ordained to give glimpse to the eternal future of the redeemed. God is a romantic. Remove the romance from the Word, and all you have left is rules and regulations. The Law. I'll pass. I want the real thing. Let it slay me.

Adapted from Feathers From My Nest , by Beth Moore, pages 73-78. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2001. Used by permission.