What IS Life in the Garden?
I have learned something really fantastic this last year. “I in You and You in Me.” (John 17:22-23) This amazing reality that the Creator of the Universe lives inside of me and I live inside of Him. He is ever-present everywhere and I am His Temple. (1 Cor 6:19) His Dwelling Place. I dwell in the shadow of the Almighty (Ps 91) but He also lives inside of me! Then in Song of Songs I read that in addition to Him being our Promised Land, He also says that I am His Promised Land. After further study I saw that He is my Garden and I am His Garden!
For the last twenty years I’ve wished I could read Song of Songs in a language I could understand. English wasn’t enough- word for word translated- from the Hebrew. I felt like I was reading Shakespeare- or something in a literature class where the true meaning escaped me. Then I came across Song of Songs in The Passion Translation. I am not going to argue the scholars who insist this translation isn’t valid. But I am going to say that God’s Word has the power to transform lives.
While reading the entirety of Song of Songs, tears streaming down my face, the truth of how God sees me began to sink in and over the weeks transformed my understanding of intimacy with God. Whenever I need intimacy with my Lover Jesus, I turn back to these passages and I feel close to Him once again. I’m so thankful for a version of this powerful book of Scripture that unpacks the meaning that the ancient Hebrews understood so clearly. If you’re curious, read The Sacred Journey by Brian and Candice Simmons. They discuss the beautiful imagery the Hebrew language clearly displays. They unpack the phrases, which in English, don’t have the impact the same phrases have in Hebrew. You’ll get all the questions of ‘why was this verse translated this way?’ answered by reading their book.
I am His Garden. And He is My Garden. Song of Songs is written like a play. Solomon very likely wrote it about himself, because Shulamite is the feminine version of Solomon. We can read it aloud to God and receive the King’s words directly to us.
(Song of Songs 4:16) She says, or I can say, “Then may your awakening breath blow upon my life until I am fully yours. Breathe upon me with your Spirit wind. Stir up the sweet spice of your life within me. Spare nothing as you make me your fruitful garden. Hold nothing back until I release your fragrance. Come walk with me as you walked with Adam in your paradise garden. Come taste the fruits of your life in me.”
(Song of Songs 5:1) Jesus the Lover King says, “I have gathered from your heart, my equal, my bride, I have gathered from my garden all my sacred spices- even my myrrh. I have tasted and enjoyed my wine within you. I have tasted with pleasure my pure milk, my honeycomb, which you yield to me. I delight in gathering my sacred spice, all the fruits of my life I have gathered from within you, my paradise garden…”
(Song of Songs 6:2-3) She says, or I can say, “My lover has gone down into his garden of delight, the place where his spices grow, to feast with those pure in heart. I know we shall find him there. He is within me- I am his garden of delight. I have him fully and now he fully has me!”
I want to live my life in the garden. His Garden. I want to walk with Him and talk with Him and hear His voice in the cool of the day. I want to see Him. I want to touch Him. I want to feel him.
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer was such a confirmation for me that I am not alone in my desire to remove as much of the physical realm as possible to experience as much of God as I can- with all my senses.
In the Garden
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am his own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am his own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
Hymn by C.A. Miles
I’d like to hear from you!
Have you ever read Song of Solomon in The Passion Translation?
How do you relate to the idea of living Life in the Garden with Jesus?
Leave a comment below!
