Page 212 - Radical Love by Linda Robinson_FEB2025

RADICAL LOVE

There is an important life lesson for us here. When we hear a word

spoken to us personally by God, we have a choice. Either we choose to
believe it—irrespective of how we feel—and allow it to expand in our

hearts until it is activated, or we reject it and let it fall to the ground.
The Shulamite did not feel like she was a garden, but she believed she

was, because the Lord had told her so.

As we read the verse further, we can see how her response to these
words indicates the progression of her spiritual walk. She cries:

“Oh, I pray that the cold north wind and the soft south wind may blow
upon my garden, that its spices may flow out in abundance for you in

whom my soul delights.”

What a contrast this is to the end of Chapter 3, where the Shulamite

was fearful of rising from her comfort zone to follow the Bridegroom-

King. She was afraid of opening up further to the work of the Cross in
her life because she did not yet understand that in Christ we are always

safe and secure—and also that the richest of blessings would eventually

ensue.

However, her Lord refused to give up on her and continued to fill her

with His love and affirmation. As a consequence, she is now thoroughly
convinced of His faithfulness and entreats Him to do whatever is

necessary to increase her fruitfulness for the Kingdom.

The north wind is chilling, harsh, and very cold, whereas the south wind

is warm, pleasant, soothing, and gentle. In the natural, many of us shy

193