I never saw it.

Growing up in church, teenage girls are told over and over (and over) again:

Song of Solomon 2:7
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.

Song of Solomon 3:5
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.

Song of Solomon 8:4
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

I guess it makes sense that it is repeated to us so often as it is repeated often in scripture. But what I never heard or saw, in all those years, is that the verse doesn't apply to just our hearts.

We are told to "guard our hearts" but what about the responsibility we have to guard the hearts of others? Only so much depends on us, I realize, but girls we are fooling ourselves if we say we have no responsibility whatsoever.

Do not awaken love in ourselves or arouse it in others... until it so desires.

Until what so desires? It? Love. God is love. (I John 4:8) Until God so desires?

Oh...

Simple Instructions.

A dear friend calmed a tumultuous heart this evening (mine) with simple words that resounded in their captivating but simple truth:

Let your 'yes' be yes and your 'no' be no.

What a concept! As a Christian-from-the-cradle I have heard, read, glittered and sang these words since preschool. (Those last two being in VBS most likely...) But in a moment of variance, it was a constant. As I doubted, questioned and proceeded to be quite double-minded the words were solid.

Yes be yes. No be no.

There were more words those led me to:

Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. -Matthew 5:37

Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned. -James 5:12

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. -I Timothy 6:11,12

Psalm 119
1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the LORD.

2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart.

3 They do nothing wrong;
they walk in his ways.

4 You have laid down precepts
that are to be fully obeyed.

5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast
in obeying your decrees!

6 Then I would not be put to shame
when I consider all your commands.

7 I will praise you with an upright heart
as I learn your righteous laws.

8 I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me.

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.

*sigh* I feel better now... more resolute. More assured. More aware that I need to delve deeply into this Word.

My True Love Hath My Heart

How can I write about you
When you are all the world?
When I know
That all that is good or just in me is only
An echo of you:
When all that I think is what you have breathed
on my heart:
and all I say
Although I am praised for it,
Is your book read aloud?

-Naomi Mitchison, 1926

Wow.