(See what you’re missing)
WHEN last did you hear your pastor preach about romance from the pulpit? I guess your answer is, ‘Can’t remember,’ and you are probably right. More often preachers are busy talking about heaven neglecting the heaven you can create in the four walls of your own bedroom. I‘m talking about romance here. Romance takes place between two people in love. It’s doing those little things to tickle you partner, or just to put a smile on their face for the fun of it (forgive my definition).

Romance is also what King Solomon of the Bible was saying to his Shulamite. Listen to Song of Songs chapter four: Behold you’re fair, my love! Behold, you’re fair! You have dove’s eyes behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats, going down to mount Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep. Your lips are like a strand of scarlet. And your mouth is lovely.

And why not go back to chapter 2v14 and say: Oh, my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff, Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.

And when last did you also say such words to your wife? I guess your answer is, ‘Can’t remember.’ That’s because the Zambian culture that bore us does not permit much romance between couples. We were brought up to think that paying lobola was good enough sign that you love a woman and that calling her honey and walking hand in hand in public was unAfrican. But come on man, this is the 21st century, and love is the air, can’t you feel it?

Quite often, many couples find themselves struggling in their marriages because of familiarity and diminishing levels of romance. That’s because they fail to read Solomon’s songs. Many have continued to live together because of church membership or just for the sake of children.

And don’t tell me that King Solomon was a poacher because he stringed 700 women at one time. But even if he did, who cares? He’s left us eight heart-throbbing chapters of romantic poetry to soothe our lusts. If you come along with me, you’ll see that the Bible has so much to say about love and has among its pages poetic literature that no song writer today can match up with. It’s not only Song of Songs that glitters with love-tapestry as in romance, because even Saint Paul had a feel of it. Read 1st Corinthians chapter 13 and you’ll discover that of the many virtues that Paul talks about, love(as in romance for you and me,) is the greatest.

But of course Song of Songs has no equals. See how Solomon weaves in opening his chapters: For your love is better than wine. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth, therefore the virgins love you. Draw me away!

Wine is a very luxurious beverage but Solomon says the love of a woman is better than this drink! And it can draw you away. Away from your sorrows. Away from your stress. Away from your misery. Away, away, away – to awake the following day, and ready for work.

We can heal a lot of marital woes if, instead of watching football all evening, we take ten minutes to say to our partners: How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter! The curves of your thighs are like jewels, The work of the hands of a skillful workman. Your navel is a heap of rounded goblet, It lacks no blended beverages. Your waist is a heap of wheat, Set about with lilies. Your two breasts are like two fawns, Twins of a gazelle. Your neck is like an ivory tower, Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon, By the gate of Bath Rabbim, Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon.

When you continue to read through Solomon’s songs you can not fail to see a man enchanted by the love and beauty of a woman. This is as it should be, men need to be enchanted by women, not football or politics.

Try this as you go to bed tonight: His left hand is under my head. And his right hand embraces me. But there’s a warning: I charge you daughters of Chingola, Do not stir up nor awaken love, until it pleases.

If all this does not appeal to you, then I don’t know what would. Buy if I were you, I’d rather score by reading Song of Songs to my partner, it’s better than watching football all night when my team is not scoring. So let’s go back and read Song of Songs again.
(Italicized Bible quotations from NKJV)

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