How can I turn aside?

Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth,
where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon:
for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions? - Song of Songs 1:7

Well, here we go into the Song of Songs. To me personally this is the most difficult book from which to glean spiritual truth. It is a beautiful love song full of love and intimacy where I often can’t make sense of why we are privy to such an intimacy. But, I know this is God’s word and that it is there for a purpose, so here goes.

The first thing to jump out at me was chapter 1 verse 7. The bride is speaking of her love and says ‘I love you and you provide for me. Why then should I be turned aside by anyone else.’ (A little bit of parrowphrase there)

But I love the picture that this conjures up. They tell us the the Song of Songs is a love story that illustrates the love that Christ, the bridegroom, has for us, His church. That being the case we have an image of the Christ that provides for us. Since we claim to love Him and He meets our needs how can we be turned aside by everything else out there? Why should we go anywhere else? It reminds of when Peter, I think it was, said ‘Where else would we go Lord?’

We have all we need in Him. How can we be turned aside by the passing baubles that the world offers us? All the other things are passing away. Only Christ is for eternity. The visible things of this world are tempting, but temporary. He is invisible, but eternal.

So let us follow the bride's example here and ask ourselves ‘how can we be turned away?’