Have You Seen the One My Heart Loves?

"All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves;

I looked for him but did not find him.

I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares;

I will search for the one my heart loves.

So I looked for him but did not find him.

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.

"Have you seen the one my heart loves?"

Scarcely I had passed them when I found the one my heart loves.

I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house,

to the room of the one who had conceived me.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires."

-Song of Songs 3:1-5

I think that many people often skip over this book in the Bible. It's images are so vivid, its words so true, and its language so pure. Yet, when I read this passage today, I saw it all in a different light. God searches for us in the same way that the lover searches for his beloved. God earnestly tries to find us and seeks us out. I am reminded of our first beginnings in Genesis, where following Adam and Eve's disobedience in the garden, they hid. God called out to them and asked "Where are you?" Their nakedness and shame left them exposed. Yet, God continued to search for them, admist their brokenness and heartache. He loved them.

So, I read and re-read over this passage again. And then, I replaced the phrase "have you seen the one my heart loves?" with my name "Alexandra." And it became so much more personal to me.

"All night long on my bed I looked for Alexandra;

I looked for Alexandra but did not find her.

I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares;

I will search for Alexandra.

So I looked for Alexandra but did not find her.

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.

"Have you seen Alexandra?"

Scarcely I had passed them when I found Alexandra.

I held Alexandra and would not let her go till I had brought her to my mother's house,

to the room of the one who had conceived me.

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love before it so desires."

He loves us. He wants to know us. This type of relationship is not a Disney romance or a celebrity marriage. It is something much more. It is a symbol of unity, of togetherness, of oneness. God wants to be with us. and his love extends to every human being; regardless of past, race, gender, social status, location on the globe. He wants this type of relationship with all of us. In fact, it is needed. We just need to be willing to open ourselves up and see him the way he sees us - beautiful puzzle pieces brought together in a unique mosaic.