Song of Songs Advent Devotion for Couples – Advent 2 Saturday

We continue to watch until the day comes when our Bridegroom will return to us. He hasn’t told us when he will return, but he has told us why.

Opening Prayer

The first and second Advent candles (violet) are lit.

The husband may say, or the couple may say together:

In the name of the Father and of † the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, who has created man and woman and provided them with the estate of marriage, provide us in our relationship the kind of love that reflects your love for us. For you gave your Son to purchase us by his blood, and you will send him again to bring us to the heavenly wedding feast on the Last Day. Strengthen us by your Word as we expect his Advent.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Together you may confess the Apostles’ Creed and pray the Lord’s Prayer.

Song of Songs 4:1-7

Marital Bliss

Husband: Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful!  Your eyes are doves behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which bear twins, and not one among them has lost its young. Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil. Your neck is like the tower of David, built in rows of stone; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that graze among the lilies. Until the day breathes and the shadows flee, I will go away to the mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense. You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.

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Discussion

Beauty: The Bridegroom describes his bride’s eyes, hair, teeth, lips, cheeks, neck, and breasts, and together the picture of doves, goats, freshly washed ewes with twins, a scarlet thread, halves of a pomegranate, the tower of David, and twin fawns among the lilies presents peace, perfection, power, and beauty.

What makes our heavenly Bridegroom see us with such a description?  (Think of where you see doves elsewhere in the Bible. And where else do you see goats and lambs?) How can you continue to see your spouse in such a way?

Mountain: The Bridegroom has gone away to a mountain, specifically, the mountain that smells of the spices that ascend to the throne of God.

To what mountain has our Bridegroom ascended? Where do we continue to go to be reminded of his love and to await his return? What do you do as a couple to continue to remind one another of your love and devotion?

Until:  The Bridegroom is absent but describes the time when he will return. He announces it as a specific day: a Day that “breathes.” On that day, too, “the shadows flee.” Genesis 2:7 – “The LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

What will occur on the Day the Groom returns for us? (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:20-26)

Hymn

Hymn verses this week: “The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us,” vv. 3, 6

(Listen to the melody here)

3. They will not blush to own us
As brothers, sisters dear;
Love ever will be shown us
When we with them appear.
We all shall come before Him
Who for us Man became,
As Lord and God adore Him,
And ever bless His name.

6. In mansions fair and spacious
Will God the feast prepare
And, ever kind and gracious,
Bid us its riches share.
There bliss that knows no measure
From springs of love shall flow,
And never-changing pleasure
His bounty will bestow.

Author: Johann Walter; Translator: Matthias Loy

Benediction

The almighty and most merciful Lord, the Father, the † Son, and the Holy Spirit bless and preserve us. Amen.

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Devotions by Rev. Michael Lilienthal and Rev. Jeff Hendrix.