I found the one my heart loves

Have you ever read Song of Songs from the Bible? It's pretty steamy! I'm sure you're thinking "The Bible is "steamy"?!" You bet it is. Here are the first verses from the book:

 

1 Solomon’s Song of Songs.
She² 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.

 

So the verses continue on, with two people and their friends interchanging dialogue about how wonderful their love is. Every one is gushing and waning poetically about the lovely loveliness. The loving abounds!


There is a section of verses where the young woman recalls how she searched and searched for the one her heart loves:

 

3 All night long on my bed
    I looked for the one my heart loves;
    I looked for him but did not find him.² I will get up now and go about the city,
    through its streets and squares;
I will search for the one my heart loves.
    So I looked for him but did not find him.
³ The watchmen found me
    as they made their rounds in the city.
    “Have you seen the one my heart loves?”
⁴ Scarcely had I passed them
    when I found the one my heart loves.
I held him and would not let him go
    till I had brought him to my mother’s house,
    to the room of the one who conceived me.
⁵ Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you
    by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love
    until it so desires.



 

A favorite verse of mine from the whole book is this: My love is mine and I am his. He pastures his flock among the lilies. (2:16)



I of course love this book - it's far different from the other books found in the Bible, and it is multi-layered. On the surface, the words speak to me directly. I felt that I too had been searching and searching for the one I loved. I followed this path and that path, wandering through this world, never feeling that spark. I had nearly given up and was set on living the single life. As sad as I was about it, I couldn't see another way.

I always thought that the verses in Song of Solomon were over the top and extremely beautiful, but not really realistic. Then one day, I found the one my heart loves. I was twitterpated! Finally -  the one that was designed for me...the one I was designed for, entered into my life. He is my best friend, and the one person in this world that I can share my hopes, desires, dark fears, pains, anger, joy...he sees me for what I am. I have no need to hide. He sees my flaws, and sees my beauty. And he still loves me!! My heart finally learned to sing when I met him.

Today we celebrate our third year of marriage. I feel as if I've known my love my whole life, yet I find myself wanting to know him more. I am beyond pleased, and I truly look forward to the future with him. We have three children, two with us and one in Heaven. I couldn't imagine a better friend, spouse, lover, father of my children, to go through life together.

Although it falls short of what I'd really like to say, I want to thank you, Matt, for loving me and crossing my path. I have finally found the one my heart loves.