Draw Me Away! – Part 1

Chapter 1 Song of Solomon

In the beginning of the Song of Solomon the Shulamite (representing the Bride of Christ before marriage) says, even cries out, “Draw me away!” (Song of Solomon 1:4) It was that cry that started in her heart and came out of her mouth that caused the Beloved (representing Jesus the Bridegroom) to draw her into a deep place of intimacy and ultimately spiritual maturity. Aren’t those our two greatest desires – to be near to Jesus and to me spiritually mature?

The Beloved answers and the result: “The king has brought me into his chambers.” (1:4b) Jesus always responds to this type of spiritual hunger. It doesn’t matter if you are saved 1 day or 100 years. He always responds to that kind of hunger. In fact, Jesus said

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) The Greek word for poor denotes complete destitution. We are blessed if we hold that position of being poor in spirit because we cannot rely on past blessings, moves of God etc.

The Shulamite was in that place of desperation when she cried out “Draw me away!.” We can see a glimpse into her spiritual state here:

“Do not look upon me, because I am dark,
Because the sun has tanned me.
My mother’s sons were angry with me;
They made me the keeper of the vineyards,
But my own vineyard I have not kept.” (Song of Solomon 1:6)

She was dark from working in the field. The “mother’s sons” represent fellow believers in the body of Christ. There was contention there. Now for the revealing confession: “They made me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I have not kept.” She labored for the vineyards of others but neglected her own. This is a gentle reminder for those that serve in the body of Christ but fail to maintain a close relationship with Jesus. A cry must rise up within that says “Draw me away!”

Some of us are unsure where to begin beyond that cry for being drawn away. One thing is to observe closely certain individuals who have that close walk with Jesus. Much can be learned from how they pray, what they say and don’t say and so on.

“Tell me, O you whom I love,
Where you feed your flock,
Where you make it rest at noon.
For why should I be as one who veils herself
By the flocks of your companions?” (Song of Solomon 1:7)

Now for the answer:

“If you do not know, O fairest among women,
Follow in the footsteps of the flock.
And feed your little goats
Beside the shepherds’ tents.” (Song of Solomon 1:8)

The advice was to “follow in the footsteps.” God put certain people in our lives to teach us how to be close to God. We would be wise to observe their walk with God.

Now we are starting to see some growth in the Shulamite that is drawing the attention of the Beloved.

“While the king is at his table,
My spikenard sends forth its fragrance.” (Song of Solomon 1:12)

The spikenard represented the fragrance of her dying to self. It is a sweet aroma to Jesus. Mary anointed Jesus with spikenard for His burial.

“Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.” (John 12:3)

As we die to self it sends off a fragrance that fills the atmosphere wherever we may be. But most of all it reached the nose of Jesus.

Now the Beloved can say:

“Behold, you are fair, my love!
Behold, you are fair!
You have dove’s eyes.” (Song of Solomon 1:15)

Dove’s mate for live. The Beloved was saying “I see you now have eyes just for me.” That is where God is bringing us – where we have a single eye for Jesus. With that single eye we can be drawn away! Jesus said in Matthew 6:22

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is [a]good, your whole body will be full of light.” The word “good” means “single” in the Original. That single eye will allow the Light to fill our entire beings.

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