"The Beholder" -To

"Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead." (S.O.S. 4:1)

  Now, if there is any part of this that we can except as true-to-life in us, I would contend that it start with those two simple words, "my love." The way that Charles Spurgeon explains it, the Lord gives back the praise that we give to Him: we say, Thou art lovely, He says, we are lovely too. In the light of what has been done, we have become a reflection of His beauty, as well as He is glorified by this reflection, right back to Him. I know that might seem a little hard for some to understand; but there is nothing that shows the inner beauty of a woman more, than the look she has towards her husband when she knows that he loves her more than anything else; that is what glorifies the husband most, that he is reverenced by his wife because of his love for her.
  Anywho, you think of it as you will; but this is why I say without a doubt: If she loved you dearly when she married you, and she has fallen out of love with you now; then you, husband, are at fault! Don't try to make excuses, because it will not work: the moment she became your possession, you let off trying to win her heart. Besides, if we are to be the spiritual head over our wife, then she is the spiritual body: Don't you love your body as yourself? Don't you treat your body as it is yours? When you body has pain, isn't it your pain? (Ephesians 5:25-30) This is a perfect example of what Christ sees in His bride, the church; as the church is a reflection of what He has made her; so too, what He has made her, reflects back on Him. 
  There is something else here that is a little interesting, as the picture of the flock of goats, those that appear from Mount Gilead, here is their meaning: "Most Palestinian goats have long wavy black hair. The movement of a large flock on distant hill makes it appear as it the whole hillside is alive." (Carr) It might not mean all that much to us now, but it is more and more meaningful to be part of a body!
  As for these, "doves' eyes within thy locks," we have to understand that we are to remain humble; it is not just because we are loved, even though we were sinners; but because we have been given eternal life! Yes, that life is now ours; right now, today! We have already passed from death to life; the life we now live, we are living in Christ!
  I heard a very interesting message yesterday morning, it was about the thief of the cross, and why Jesus told him: "Today you will be with me in paradise." Why did Jesus say today? was the question he asked; and the answer was simple and true: Because that was what that man needed to hear! You know what else I heard earlier this week? The Lord gave us eyelids, but He did not give us earlids...

"God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:20-21) NLT