Scripture: Song of Solomon 5:1 NLT

I have entered my garden, my treasure, my bride!

I gather myrrh with my spices

and eat honeycomb with my honey.

I drink wine with my milk.

• Poetry is the language of love. Poetry is from God and of God.
• The Song of Solomon is a book of poetry. It is the biblical handbook for love and romance.
• The Song of Solomon has to be read as a threefold love story.
  • Love story of Solomon and the maiden from Shunem
  • Love story of Christ and His bride, the church
  • Your love story!

COMPLEXITIES OF LOVE

1. My garden, my treasure

1. My garden - HARD WORK
   • Planting seeds - life-giving words
   • Pulling weeds - healthy confrontation
2. My treasure - adventure
   • Potential - What do you see?
   • Discovery - What have you found?

2. Myrrh with spices

1. Myrrh - suffering
   • Hard times come. They are either an opportunity to grow closer or a pitfall to draw apart.
   • Faith and wisdom are your greatest allies. There is nothing on this earth that cannot be overcome with these two weapons.
2. Spices - DELIGHT
   • Good times will come! Enjoy every minute. Celebrate. Rehearse the goodness of God.
   • Stay humble and close to each other. Don’t allow the good times to bring distraction and self-interest.

3. Honeycomb with honey

• Honeycomb - STRUCTURE
  • Systems
  • Time management
  • Planning
  • Budgeting
• Honey - spontaneity
  • Last-minute trips or outings
  • Spending money on something spontaneous or splurging
  • Shaking up the routine

4. Wine with milk

• Wine - pleasure
  • God created marriage for pleasure.
  • Marriage is the proper wineskin for pleasure - "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed" (Luke 5:37 ESV).
• Milk - GROWTH
  • Read together one relationship book a year.
  • Seek out godly counsel (health, finances, marriage, etc.).
  • Replace entertainment with education.
  • Move from discussing people to events, and ultimately, ideas.