Lovestruck … God’s Design for Marriage

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine;
your anointing oils are fragrant;
your name is oil poured out;
therefore virgins love you.
Song of Songs 1:2-3

Lovestruck … Discovering God’s Design for Romance, Marriage, & Sexual Intimacy from the Song of Solomon begins as God began the Song of Solomon in the Bible, with kissing.

Did you know that there is a science to kissing?

According to Sheril Kirshenbaum, author of The Science of Kissing, 5 of our 12 cranial nerves get involved when we kiss. When we passionately kiss our spouse, the cranial nerves produce dopamine, giving us a euphoric feeling (as cited in Lovestruck, p. 6).

Sharon Jaynes, author of 24 books, former Vice President of Proverbs 31 Ministries, and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Encouragement for Today devotions, writes that God created our bodies with all the intricacies of nerves, chemicals, and electrical impulses to give couples “mutual attraction and enjoyment” (p. 8).

“While we do not worship our husbands, even our kisses can be an act of worship and adoration of God for the man he has given us” (p. 8).

Our kisses as an act of worship and adoration? My mama would have shuddered to think such a thing.

“Scripture shows us that sex is not an evil that marriage permits but a gift that marriage protects” (p. xix).

Jaynes provides a fresh look at this small book of only 117 verses by applying the verses to stories of everyday couples, insight into the culture of Solomon’s day, sidebars, and a glossary of the “secret code” of the Song of Solomon.

In this particularly stress-filled time of disease, lockdowns, quarantines and isolations, layoffs, financial distress, grief, and fear, tensions in marriages are rising. This is the perfect time to refocus on God’s gift of marriage and how it honors Him when we delight in the man He has given us.

This book offers couples encouragement that God’s design for marriage includes delight in each other, including physical, emotional, and spiritual delight. Whether you have a fantastic marriage, a ho-hum marriage, or a troubled marriage, if you study this book and apply the principles revealed in it, your marriage may begin to sizzle.

Favorite quotes:

• “No matter where your marriage is on a continuum of terrific to tolerable to terrible, prayer can make a bad marriage good and a good marriage great. Prayer is the conduit through which God’s power is released and his will is brought to earth as it is in heaven” (p. 49).
• “Romantic love, whether one realizes it or not, always points back to God – the Creator of love itself. It’s like the rays of the sun that shine upon your face – rays that cause you to look toward the Source, God himself” (p. 62).
• “If we want a Solomon, then we need to be a Shulammite” (p. 150).
• “Remember, marriage is a physical example of a spiritual relationship with Christ” (p. 163).
• “It’s about a covenant with the God who intertwines two souls with the thread of his presence” (p. 185).

My prayer

Gracious God and Loving Father, thank You for the gift of marriage and for such a beautiful picture of the intimate relationship we can have with each other as you intertwine our souls with Your presence. We want to honor You and worship You in all that we do. Help us to understand the Song of Solomon and apply it to our marriages and our relationships with our husbands. Father, bless Sharon Jaynes with an ever-increasing love for You, Your Word, her husband, and Your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

My husband and I read the Song of Solomon to each other on our anniversary. This weekend, won’t you read this small book together, then return to this post and share your reaction in the Comments Section?

Related Links

Focus on the Family: Coronavirus Quarantine: Grow Closer to Your Spouse

Dr. Gary Chapman on Moody Audio: Real Life Love