“You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart, with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.”
– Song of Songs 4:9
Hi James and Ellen,
What does a guy – like your grandpaa, see in a gal – like your grandmaa, who your grandpaa was led by God to want to have as his wife? Do you think that your grandpaa was led by God to want your grandmaa to be his wife because of your grandmaa’s azure hued eyes that always seem to be twinkling with fun? Do you think that your grandpaa was led by God to want your grandmaa to be his wife because of your grandmaa’s flowing auburn colored hair that always seems to be wanting to cover half of your grandmaa’s face? Do you think that your grandpaa was led by God to want your grandmaa to be his wife because of your grandmaa’s lustrous white teeth that always seem to be accentuating your grandmaa’s warm, accepting smile? Do you think that your grandpaa was led by God to want your grandmaa to be his wife because of your grandmaa’s soft, inviting lips that always seem to be ready to say to your grandpaa that they care? Do you think that your grandpaa was led by God to want your grandmaa to be his wife because of your grandmaa’s exquisite face that always seem to be highlighting your grandmaa’s inordinate beauty? Do you think that your grandpaa was led by God to want your grandmaa to be his wife because of how graceful she walked and her confident demeanor? Do you think that your grandpaa was led by God to want your grandmaa to be his wife because of how she physically looked and her fun-loving character or . . . your grandpaa was led by God to want your grandmaa to be his wife because your grandpaa had madly ‘fallen in love’ with your grandmaa’s unique facial and bodily appearance and attractiveness.
A guy who ‘falls in love’ with a gal will invariably ‘fall in love’ first with the gal’s physical beauty. Solomon became so infatuated with a gal – and the gal with him, that the two exchanged love notes that focused on their physical attraction to one another. Song of Songs 4 has Solomon exuberantly describing the physical attributes of a gal who he calls his ‘darling’ and who he has fallen completely ‘head over heals’ over. Solomon saw his ‘darling’ as beautiful with dovelike eyes, with long, sleek black goat colored hair, with moist teeth as white as the wool skin of a freshly shorn sheep, with painted scarlet ribbon lips, with blushed pomegranate colored temples and with an erect ‘tower of David’ elegant neck. Solomon probably wanted to spend all his time with the gal who he saw as being as attractive as any gal who he had ever met. Solomon did not see any flaws in the gal. What Solomon was saying to his ‘darling’ in what is now verse 9, “You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart, with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace.” Your grandpaa was right there with your grandmaa when your grandpaa – nearly 48 years ago (now as of this editing over 63 years ago), first saw your grandmaa gracefully walking down the steps leading to Dordt College’s eating area. When Solomon’s ‘darling’ was not with him, it seemed to Solomon that his ‘darling’ was in a remote country where he saw other guys who were attracted to his ‘darling’ by her beauty as being lions and leopards. Solomon was smitten by his ‘darling’s’ sweet way of saying things. Solomon was smitten by the fragrant perfumes that his ‘darling’ used. Solomon saw his ‘darling’ as being a spectacular orchard and garden akin to a paradise of pomegranates and other choice fruit trees and plants grown for aromatic spices and incenses such as saffron, calamus, cinnamon, myrrh and aloes.
A guy who God has led to ‘fall in love’ with a gal will have his physical senses stirred by the gal whenever the gal looks into his eyes, holds his hand and/or lets the guy hug her. ‘Falling in love’ is a normal act. ‘Falling in love’ will invariably surface wild, weird feelings that a guy does not know that he has. ‘Falling in love’ is the crucial time when a guy meets a gal who he perceives to be the absolutely most beautiful gal in the world and who he is proud to be with and to show off to his family and friends. After your grandmaa and grandpaa were married, your grandmaa and grandpaa painfully found out that being physically attracted to each other was not what makes a marriage work. Even though your grandpaa still liked a lot how your grandmaa always looked and how she looked at and hugged him, your grandpaa began to see and to ‘fall in love’ with the depth of your grandmaa’s fascinating inner beauty. When your grandpaa married your grandmaa, your grandpaa did not have a clue of your grandmaa’s inner resolve and spiritual strength, her unconditional approval and acceptance of other guys and gals and her commitment and loyalty to your grandpaa. Your grandpaa just spent 23 days in Guatemala away from grandmaa. Your grandpaa spent most of his time in San Pedro – on Lake Atitlán, leading a talented Adventures in Missions Ambassador team of ten high school age guys and gals. While the ten member Ambassador team was in Guatemala, the team visited churches and schools to present a happening that included games, songs, skits, Bible stories, etc. Because some of San Pedro’s streets are very steep and/or rocky, it would have been very hard for your grandmaa to keep up with the ten high school age guys and gals – which your grandmaa would have tried to do if . . . so your grandmaa stayed home in the house where your grandmaa and grandpaa live in in Georgia while . . . your grandpaa especially missed being able to just chat with your grandmaa each night to have your grandmaa’s perceptive discernment reassure him.
Song of Songs 4 (1005)