The Song of Songs (often referred to as the "Song of Solomon") reads like a racy romance novel, but there's no bare-chested pirate on the cover because this book is in the Bible! Although there are multiple theologically sound interpretive approaches for this heart-pounding poetry, most scholars agree that like Hosea and Gomer, this love story is both historical and Christological. The overarching meta-narrative paints a glorious picture of the kind of deep intimacy we can enjoy with Jesus as our divine bridegroom.

This Old Testament treasure all too often regarded solely as a primer for Christian marriage or as the sanctified version of the Kama Sutra applies to all of us ~ regardless of our gender or marital status. It's for everyone who longs to lean more fully into the embrace of our Creator. It's for everyone who chaffs at the transactional and performative nature of religion and wonders if the promise of relationship in Christianity is true. It's for everyone who was taught to engage with God's Word as a rule book or template for ethical behavior instead of as a grace-laced, supernatural love story.

The shape of our hearts will soften with the security of being known and loved when we begin to believe that Song of Songs 4:9b ~ With one glance of your eyes, you captured my heart ~ points to a perfectly compassionate Redeemer gazing at us with unbridled affection.