Song of Songs Advent Devotion for Couples – Advent 1 Tuesday

Opening Prayer

The first Advent candle (violet) is 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 1:2-4

1 The Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s

Marital Bliss

Wife reads: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine; your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers.

Discussion

Wine: Wine is a provider of joy, and one can imagine the king’s wine being the best around. But love – the love described here – is better.

Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding banquet (John 1:1-11). It was the best wine they had tasted.  

What does this say about how Jesus values marriage? Where do we commonly find wine in our Christian worship?

The Lord’s Supper is an anticipation of the eternal wedding feast. In the Sacrament we have a little taste of heaven, because when Jesus gives us his body and blood, he gives us forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation.  He joins us to himself in marriage.

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Oil: Kings and priests were anointed with sweet-smelling oil in the Old Testament, and brides were anointed as well. When the bride of a king is anointed, the oil she receives is a wedding gift of the highest order, because it symbolizes the lifelong union of this man and wife, and he also gives her his royal dignity and honor.

Traditionally, a wife takes her husband’s name upon marriage. The oil in the Song symbolizes the king’s name poured onto the bride. When was God’s name poured out onto each of us? Where do we get regular reminders of this?

Jesus, our prophet, priest, and king, was anointed in his Baptism, and again by the sinful woman (Matthew 26:7). This also marked him as the sacrifice for our sins. He came in order to lay down his life. When he comes again, it will be to take us to the unity with God his sacrifice won.

Hymn

Hymn verses this week: “The Bridegroom Soon Will Call Us,” vv. 1, 2

1. The Bridegroom soon will call us;
Come, all ye wedding guests!
May not His voice appall us
While slumber binds our breasts!
May all our lamps be burning
And oil be found in store
That we, with Him returning,
May open find the door!

2. There shall we see delighted
Our dear Redeemer’s face,
Who leads our souls benighted
To glory by His grace.
The patriarchs shall meet us,
The prophets’ holy band,
Apostles, martyrs, greet us
In that celestial land.

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.