His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem. – Song of Songs 5:16

Today's Scripture Reading (December 3, 2022): Song of Songs 5

Joyce Brothers writes, "My husband and I have never considered divorce... murder sometimes, but never divorce." Ruth Graham, the wife of evangelist Billy Graham, may have said something similar. And although I find the quote amusing, I have friends that almost seem to be offended by the remark, probably because they believe that divorce is a better option than staying together for some archaic reason or, obviously, better than murder.

I am not a fan of divorce unless there is some sort of abuse in the marriage. I get it; marriage is hard. And unless you are willing to work at it, it will always end up as an unhealthy relationship. What people like Joyce Brothers and Ruth Graham are trying to tell us is that sometimes divorce is too ready an option. Because divorce is available, we give up too easily on our marriages. Somehow we need to return to the idea that divorce is the last resort we turn to when we have expended all other efforts to save a marriage rather than the first response to hard times.

I love how Solomon's bride describes the one she loves. He is altogether lovely. The Song of Solomon excels at the erotic and physical, and this comment encompasses that element of marriage, but it doesn't stop there. There is something almost indescribable in the statement. There is something that the one we love possesses that attracts us to them and makes them special. But Solomon's bride doesn't stop there. She says that "this is my beloved, this is my friend." British evangelist G. Campbell Morgan makes this comment about the bride's comment;

The bride replies by describing him in all the wealth of oriental imagery. Yet any other woman might have used every figure in describing her beloved. But, at last, and as I think half unconsciously, the truth is out as she said: 'This is my beloved, and this is my friend' (G. Campbell Morgan).

The idea being expressed here is that the bride enjoys her companionship with her beloved, and it is a friendship that goes deeper than just the sexual parts of the marriage. And I hope that this is something that all married couples experience in our marriages. And sometimes, when things are not going well in our marital partnerships, what we need is to get back to the things that we once found to be altogether lovely in our partners and that sense of friendship that I hope we all share with our beloveds.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Song of Songs 6