“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”
—2 Corinthians 4:16

Reflection

The Song of Songs is a beautiful love poem about a bride and her beloved. It also presents a spiritual picture of our relationship with Yeshua, our heavenly Bridegroom, and the way He transforms us as we grow in His love.

In Song of Songs 6:10, those observing the bride, a young woman known as the Shulamite, praise her beauty, asking:

“Who is this that grows like the dawn, as beautiful as the full moon, as pure as the sun, as awesome as an army with banners?”

The sun and moon both give off light, though we know the moonlight is the sun’s light reflected. The sun shines by day, the moon by night, and the two bodies illuminate the natural world.

This natural picture helps us understand how we are being transformed, even as the coming of the dawn, which gets brighter until it reaches full day. As the light of the sun reflects off the moon, and as the pure light of the sun shines in its strength, we are growing and being transformed into the very image of God.

We are being changed, beloved ones, from strength to strength and from glory to glory.

Paul describes this transformation in 2 Corinthians 3:18, declaring that as we behold the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into His image.

Each one of us, and all of us collectively, are like the Shulamite bride. We are growing as the dawn and bringing illumination to the earth, like the sun and moon.

But this transformation is not just about our own spiritual growth. As we become stronger in the Lord, something begins to change in our relationship with others.

In Song of Songs 6:11, the bride says:

“I went down to the orchard of nut trees to see the blossoms of the valley, to see whether the vine had budded or the pomegranates had bloomed.”

In this spiritual picture, the orchard and vineyard represent the place where Yeshua is building His kingdom. The bride wants to see God’s people growing. She desires to be where the church is being built, taking great pleasure in the blossoms, buds, and blooms she encounters there.

Then something unexpected happens. She declares:

“Before I was aware, my soul set me over the chariots of my noble people” (Song of Songs 6:12).

In other words, when she went down to the place where God was building His kingdom, suddenly her soul rose up within her. It rose up to help others, to strengthen them, and to pour love into them because now she was strong and willing.

She had overcome and grown from glory to glory. Among God’s people, many were still growing, weak and needing help as she once needed it.

A noble impulse moved her to lay down her life to serve others, to be used of God to partner with Him for the building of His kingdom. She knew she had the strength to help them. She knew she had something in her to impart, and so she was moved to choose to serve.

Beloved, as we grow in the glory of God, we become stronger not only for ourselves but also for others. The transformation Yeshua is working within us prepares us to pour His love into those who need strengthening.

Application

• Keep growing in His glory. As you behold the Lord and seek His presence, trust that His Spirit is transforming you into His image, from glory to glory.
• Use your strength to serve. Look for someone in the body of Messiah who needs encouragement or spiritual strengthening. Allow the love God is developing within you to become a blessing to others.

Prayer

Father God, thank You that You are transforming me from glory to glory through the power of Your Spirit. Help me to keep my eyes on Yeshua and to grow stronger in Your love each day. Let Your glory shine through my life and bring illumination to those around me. Give me a heart that takes pleasure in seeing Your people grow, and strengthen me so that I can pour Your love into others. Use me to partner with You in building Your kingdom. In Yeshua’s name, amen.