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| Munich, trekearth |
A friend of mine when discussing his life struggles noted this concept from Song of Solomon/Song of Songs today. He has had and on, off and now on again romantic relationship.
Song of Solomon 2:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 “[a]I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, By the gazelles or by the hinds of the field, That you do not arouse or awaken my love Until [b]she pleases.”
R. W. Orr explains that is concept is repeated in 3:5 and 8:4. Orr (1986: 708). There is the idea here of not awakening passion prematurely, of not bringing about behavior which time has not yet properly arrived. Orr (1986: 708). Basically, the Lord is in charge and Orr states the time of love will arrive in due season. Orr (1986: 708).
I am in full agreement with the concept of my friend, thinking he was wise to allude to the text. Reading Solomon it is a counter to modern concepts of must have 'now' which often arise from the sinful nature and society and culture rather than Scripture and the Holy Spirit.
On the other hand, there is within Reformed theology the idea that persons always do the will of God, in disobedience or obedience. It is stated in Bondage and Liberation of the Will that Satan and the wicked are under his commandments. All things are subject to the power of God and so there is no thing that does not obey his will. Calvin (1543)(1996: 43).
I reason it a Biblical idea as God is omnipotent and eternal.
It can be deduced God in first cause and infinite.
God was the only entity in existence prior to the creation of matter and angelic beings.
With matter and angelic beings being finite.
God therefore has the power to sanction his perfect will, but also with what he permits. As Erickson has noted, God has a perfect and permissible will and most of what he wills would be his permissible will.
This allows for the possibility that God could as the first and primary cause of all things willingly allow secondary causes a multitude of thoughts, acts and actions in obedience and disobedience.
Therefore, one could for example, awaken love too early, awaken the wrong love, or reject a wrong person.
A key to decrease the likelihood of error is to in Christ, seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and also gain as much related knowledge and wisdom as needed.
My friend seemed to be on that track.
CALVIN, JOHN (1543)(1996) The Bondage and Liberation of the Will, Translated by G.I. Davies, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
ORR, R.W. (1986) 'The Letters of John' in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
So often relationships are based on misunderstandings...
It was the very early 1980's and my cousin David from Edinburgh came to visit us in Pitt Meadows. It may have been the summer because I remember leading him through an old short cut through real estate developments to reach a local pub. I was a kid, not even a teen. When he came back he stated he had a good time, but initially things were a bit rough because he was playing pool and he had asked the fellows if they wanted a 'fag' (cigarette) and he ended up with the pool cue at his throat. But when he explained they settled down and made friends.
Another one...
I told this story from a movie at lunch. A certain Mennonite friend with some non-resistant theology background was joking that he could quit being a software engineer one day and find work getting beat up.
From Dirty Harry (1971). The villain, Scorpio visits an African-American thug and pays him to beat him up in order to attempt to blame Dirty Harry for it. Near the end of the beating the thug asks, 'You sure you want the rest of it'? Scorpio states a racial slur and the thugs finishes off and throws him out stating...
'This one's on the house'.
I would post the YouTube video, but there is no full version.
