Do you remember the day you trusted Christ and felt the release from your burden of sin? I remember that day. I had fought the conviction of my sin for about four years, but that night, November 22, 1958, I was at a Youth For Christ rally. After the message, the Holy Spirit spoke to me, and I moved out of my row and went to the counseling room where a young man, I believe his name was Glen Ford, read some verses to me. I was nervous and felt the weight of my sin, but I asked Christ to save me, and all of a sudden, the weight was gone. I had joy I had never known, and I knew I had peace with God.
Solomon relates the joy and the new purpose for life he found after he confessed his sin and renewed his fellowship with God. His mind went back to the days just after he married Abishag. He remembered her expression of joy in the days after their wedding. They wanted to spend their time together as much as possible. “Kiss me again and again for your love is sweeter than wine,” the girl said. “The king has brought me into his palace. How happy we will be.” (Verses 2-4). Solomon knew God loved him so very much, and he was experiencing that joy.
Beginning in verse 7, the girl starts a new conversation. “Tell me, O one that I love where are you leading your flock today?” Isn’t that the picture of a new believer who wants to know more about God? Solomon replied, “If you don’t know, O most beautiful woman in all the world, follow the trail of my flock to the shepherd’s tents, and there feed your sheep and their lambs.” Isn’t that a picture of what new believers need? Their need to grow spiritually, and they can’t do it by themselves. The day after I was saved, I responded to the altar call, joined the church, and was baptized.
There is a song on the radio today that gives the wrong impression. Its words are “as long as I have King Jesus, I don’t need nobody else: no father, mother, sister, brother, preacher, deacon” etc. But what does God say? “In response to all He has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good. Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25.)