How can married couples apply the principles of delight found in this verse? Verse in Focus “I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree and take hold of its fruit.’ May your breasts be like clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples.” — Songs 7:8 What the Imagery Teaches • Climbing the palm tree – intentional pursuit, eagerness, adventure • Taking hold of its fruit – joyful, unashamed touch within covenant safety • Clusters of the vine – abundance and sweetness to be savored, not rushed • Fragrance like apples – delighting in every sense, even the breath of one’s spouse Principles for Married Couples Today • Pursue, don’t drift: Genesis 2:24–25 shows the first husband and wife “naked and unashamed.” Intimacy thrives when pursuit is ongoing. • Celebrate beauty aloud: Proverbs 5:18–19 urges, “Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; be captivated always by her love.” Verbally affirm each other’s attractiveness. • Engage all the senses: Taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell are God-given pathways to delight. Songs 7:8 highlights each one. • Practice mutual giving: 1 Corinthians 7:3–5 calls both husband and wife to meet each other’s needs willingly, guarding against temptation. • Keep delight exclusive: The same book repeatedly says, “Do not arouse or awaken love until the time is right.” Intimacy is reserved for marriage alone. Putting Delight into Practice • Date-night pursuit – Plan something that requires effort (tickets, reservations, surprise). – Arrive prepared to give focused attention—phones away. • Sensory touches – Light a candle with a favorite scent. – Share a fruit platter or chocolate to echo “clusters of the vine.” – Slow, affectionate touch without rushing to the goal line. • Spoken admiration – Each spouse name three physical traits you enjoy in the other. – Use specific, loving language: “Your smile still makes my heart race.” • Creative environments – Rearrange the bedroom, change lighting or music to renew anticipation. – Weekend getaway: fresh setting often renews closeness. • Spiritual foundation – Read a verse aloud together (Songs 7, Proverbs 5, Ephesians 5:25–29). – Thank God for the gift of your spouse and your shared delight. Safeguards That Keep Delight Alive • Guard time alone: crowding schedules starves intimacy. • Protect purity: avoid media or friendships that dull desire for each other. • Offer quick forgiveness: unresolved offenses suffocate delight (Ephesians 4:26–27). • Nourish the whole person: emotional connection and servant-hearted care deepen physical joy. A Final Word of Encouragement God designed marital love to be adventurous, abundant, and fragrant with delight. When husband and wife pursue each other with the same anticipation pictured in Songs 7:8, they honor the Creator who declared such intimacy “very good.” |
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