Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
May 17, 2012

“Under Protective Custody”
“Your spring water is for you and you only, not to be passed around among strangers. Bless your fresh-flowing fountain! Enjoy the wife you married as a young man! Lovely as an angel, beautiful as a rose—don’t ever quit taking delight in her body." – Proverbs 5:17-19 (MSG)

I hope that the messages for the past few days have been a blessing and that they have not been too uncomfortable for you because quite frankly we have been walking through some very delicate territory here! And verse 19 takes this whole discussion into an entirely different level, one that many might consider passing over. But we can’t and here is why.
First, the passage above is taken from The Message and it probably approaches it much more carefully than a number of other versions and interpretations. Here is how a few of some other versions treat this verse: A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always…” (NIV); “As a loving hind (doe) and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times…” (Amplified Bible); “She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always...” (NLT); “Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love…” (KJV); She is beautiful and graceful, just like a deer; you should be attracted to her and stay deeply in love…” (Contemporary English Version). Do you think the point is pretty clear here? There is something sacred, beautiful and intimate about the marriage relationship and it should not be taken lightly, carelessly or your partner for granted.
It is too bad that Solomon did not take his own advice at this juncture. When you look at how tragically he allowed his emotions and passions to overtake him you have to wonder, are any of us safe?
Before we bury Solomon and his advice too deeply away into oblivion there is actually a couple of other avenues to explore here that go beyond the sexual realm! (There…I said the word that many have been thinking!) Let’s face it folks—we are sexual beings! We cannot deny that any more than we can deny our humanity. If there is one area that can be exploited by the enemy (the adulteress from verse 3) then it is here and it has caused far too many to fall! Men and women alike have been victimized by the most sacred and intimate of element of our humanity…our desires.
But there is actually more here than meets the eye or even other parts of the anatomy. Biblical scholars point out that not all of Solomon’s relationships with his wives/concubines were sexual in nature. They point to the fact that the number of children Solomon was reported to have was relatively few given the number of relationships that have been attributed to him. It could point to the fact that many of these relationships were marriages created not for sexual purposes but more for business reasons, peace offerings (between nations), political ploys and (what was the most destructive for Solomon) for religious reasons. Solomon’s heart became divided and distracted from serving God not because of his desires but more by not paying attention to what mattered most. He did not protect his heart and his spiritual passions strongly enough and in the end he wandered away from his first love—the truth and beauty and love of God!
There is actually more to deal with here than time or space allows so I will end this discussion with a quote that I heard some years ago. A pastor friend was counseling a man that had strayed from his relationship and was trying to reconcile with his wife. The man asked the pastor if he had ever been tempted to have an affair. The pastor said, “Temptations are common to us all and I do not know of any husband, a pastor who has not been tempted. But why should I accept thorns when I have a rose?” That was the end of the discussion! It is said in other places and in other ways but the bottom line here and in all ways is to guard your heart! Keep it in the sacred places where God and real love abounds. That is where it belongs…always!
Pastor J. T. Carnell.