Give Me Dove's Eyes

"How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves,"  Song of Songs 1:15

Think about a wedding ceremony for a moment.  When the bride enters and walks the aisle to her beloved one, the congregation is focused on her and the groom's eyes are set on her. The bride's eyes are set on him~ he is her goal; nothing will distract her from making her way to him. It's as if no one else exists. And as the couple stands facing one another, their gaze is single-focused, unmovable; they are locked in on one anther. It is a beautiful sight to see~ the love and tenderness in the gaze; the loyalty and covenant given to one another.  At this moment that has been planned, prepared, anticipated~ the knowing of one another's love has eclipsed into a feeling of love toward one another that up to this point, has been a dream. From this time on, a new level of oneness, love, covenant will be experienced.

This is the idea that Song of Songs is portraying: to be locked in on the gaze of the Bridegroom's eyes~ focused on His love & tenderness. He speaks beauty and identity into his beloved one.  The bride is entering a journey of oneness and covenant. It is one thing to know the Bridegroom's love but it is another thing to feel His love. This is what the Bride is beginning to experience. This is her journey.  And this is your journey. 

Let the words of the Bridegroom King Jesus as He speaks over you, "How beautiful you are, my darling (love)! Oh, how beautiful!"  He speaks it with explanation points!  He is thrilled to call you beautiful. He rejoices over you!  When you feel beautiful to the heart of God, you will become BOLD in your spirit. Press into the way Jesus sees you as His beauty; His beloved one; His darling. He is not caught off guard by the stumbling of your flesh. He does not despise your weakness as you may so often imagine. He knows that you are a work in progress (on a journey). God doesn't look at the outward appearance, but He looks at the heart. He sees your cry to love HIm and obey Him! 

Look at Gideon in Judges 6. Gideon was suppose to be out fighting the MIdianites but he decided to stay back because of fear. Where was he when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him? Hiding. Hiding in the winepress, threshing the wheat at the bottom of the mountain. And what did the Angel of the Lord say to him?  "And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, 'The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!'" Judges 6:12. (Notice the explanation point!). The Lord saw Gideon what Gideon could not see in himself. God named him according to what he would become in the future.  The Bridegroom King saw the cry in Gideon's heart! 

How do you begin to nurture a heart that cries out more and more for the Bridegroom King Jesus?  Take a look at the last statement of this verse:  "Your eyes are doves".  What do doves have to do with your eyes?
1) Doves have single-vision. No distraction; doves do not have peripheral vision, so they look straight ahead.  This is how you begin to train your spiritual vision. Ask Holy Spirit to give you undistracted devotion.
2) Doves are loyal. Doves mate once in their lifetime. If their mate dies, they do not look for another. Set your affection on Jesus. Commit that you will not have any other "lovers"
3) Doves can't digest everything. Because doves do not have a gall bladder, they must be careful that they eat only those things that they can digest.  They eat nothing that is dead. Commit to feast on those things that will bring life to your spirit; "eat" no "dead" things.   

As you pursue this journey, progressing into maturity, know that you are lovely to God. He says you are beautiful.  Let that be your meditation. 

Let this be the cry of your confession to Jesus:  GIVE ME DOVE'S EYES

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