I opened for my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and was gone.
My heart leaped up when he spoke.
I sought him, but I could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer. (vs6)

There are times when the Son of God doesn’t speak to us in order to reprove our coldness and indifference to Him. We think that we have Him on our terms, but we must learn His preciousness and sovereignty, that He is the Lord, and we are NOTHING without Him (John 15:5). He makes us feel what it is like to be rejected, to cry out for mercies and to still be miserable, but He will faithfully return, and He has a good purpose in our tears. He doesn’t love us if we’ve been obedient, but He loved us while we were yet sinners, and if we are His children, then He loves us even when He hides Himself. We must learn that His grace isn’t a “sin if you want to” gospel. It is not forgiveness without consequences. He teaches us to LOVE the Lord by His absence, and He makes Himself most important to us by taking Himself away.

God’s people will seek Him because we are drawn by the Savior. We read, “I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved! He knocks, saying, ‘Open for me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one; for my head is covered with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.’” We initially respond, “I have taken off my robe; how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet; how can I defile them? My beloved put his hand by the hole of the door, and my heart yearned for him. I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the lock”. He spoke to us, but we were indifferent. He wooed us with love, and we were unconcerned and careless. But, when He puts His hand to the door, then He moves us. He arouses us to come to Him, and this is the BEGINNING of our seeking. Here, we don’t find Him immediately as in Chapters 1 and 3, but do not be discouraged! Be patient. The Lord will return in due time to restore powerful fellowship, and until then, you have His promise, so walk by faith. This whole life, in measure, is walking WITHOUT what you desire and WITHOUT any evidence but faith (Heb 11:13-16; 1 Pet 1:6-9).

Secondly, when the Lord draws us to Himself, He also draws others (vs9; Song 6:1). We read, “What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved more than another beloved, that you so charge us…Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside. That we may seek him with you?” It doesn’t matter that we are reproved and miserable. We STILL believe Him to be gracious, so we continue in the faith to someone else’s gain. Hasn’t this been your experience? Sin led you down, but at the bottom, you sought the Lord and someone came to Christ with you? Ruth came out of Moab when Naomi returned to God’s house of bread, after squandering everything on sinful ambition (Ruth 1).

The gospel isn’t always enjoyable and fun, but it is always true, and when received by faith, the tears that confess the absent Savior show a love and faithfulness that encourages others. Our Lord had no joy on the cross, but He had OBEDIENCE that atones our sins and gives us an example. You may not be much comforted, but your believing against the odds and hoping against hope magnifies Him. Of Abraham it says, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform” (Rom 4:20-21). The gospel DOESN’T need you to be “happy”; it needs you to believe, and your faith will help others.