Love like Blazing Fire

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Love Like a Blazing Fire, was written by Wynn Collier. Poet, painter, and printmaker William Blake enjoyed a 45-year marriage with his wife Catherine. From their wedding day until his death in 1827, they worked side by side. Catherine added color to William's sketches, and their devotion endured years of poverty and other challenges. Even in his final weeks as his health failed, Blake kept at his art, and his final sketch was his wife's face.

Four years later, Catherine died, clutching one of her husband's pencils in her hand. The Blake's vibrant love offers a reflection of the love discovered in the Song of Songs. And while the song's description of love certainly has implications for marriage, early believers in Jesus believed it also points to Jesus' unquenchable love for all his followers. The song describes a love as strong as death, which is a remarkable metaphor since death is as final and unescapable a reality as humans will ever know. This strong love burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

And unlike fires we're familiar with, these flames can't be doused, not even by a deluge. Many waters cannot quench love, the song insists. Who among us doesn't desire true love? The song reminds us that whenever we encounter genuine love, God is the ultimate source. And in Jesus, each of us can know a profound and undying love, one that burns like a blazing fire. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Song of Songs, chapter 8, verses 5 through 7. Friends say, Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?

She responds, Under the apple tree I roused you, there your mother conceived you, there she who was in labor gave you birth. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm, for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like a blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love, rivers cannot sweep it away.

If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned. Let's pray. Dear God, please help us to recognize your amazing love in all expressions of love, and then help us to share that love with others. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. I'm Stephen, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.