Following the Trail to His Tent

Scripture: The Girl: "Tell me, O one I love, where are you leading your flock today? Where will you be at noon? For I will come and join you there instead of wandering like a vagabond among the flocks of your companions." King Solomon: "If you don’t know, O most beautiful woman in all the world, follow the trail of my flock to the shepherds’ tents, and there feed your sheep and their lambs." Song of Songs 1:7-8

Observation: In reading this love poem as a metaphor between the Lord and the faithful believers, we can understand this exchange. The believers ask the Lord where he is so that they may come out from the place where common society is - get away from the worldly issues - and worship him; The Lord does not tell them where he is, but rather instructs the believers to follow either what they themselves already know or else the clues they have, the word of teachers and prophets, and there they will find him and be able to join him in caring for the flock.

Application: There is an element of the response "you already know the answer" when we seek - when I seek - the Lord and his will. In some cases, knowledge comes from the revelation of the Holy Spirit. In other cases, it comes from the word of God. The former is provided through prayer and actively engaging with the Spirit, and the latter is provided through reading the bible.

When I ask the Lord to show me his will so I may do his will today, I do know that he often reminds me that I already know his 'general' will, which is that I should love others, show mercy and kindness, desire justice for all, and myself be mild and humble by serving others. What I am really asking for is specifics ... specific times and places and people for these activities. However, again, God has instructed me in the general nature of his will, by word and revelation, and I am not always yet well tuned to those general aptitudes.

What I need to do is ... follow the trail of the Lord's flock. I need to follow the word of the prophets. I need to follow the right teachings inspired by the Spirit. I need to pray and listen for the Holy Spirit myself! Then I will find the Lord's tent, where he is today, and thus be able to enjoy his company not by having him show me what to do in my life, but by bringing my life into the priorities he has and thus serve him by attending to others.

Prayer: Lord, many days I ask for you to come to me and give me your hand so I may walk with you. Today, may I instead seek the trail of the flock so I can come to your tent, and join you in your activities there. Instead of asking you to join into my life, may I join into yours, where you are actively working, and serve as you desire there. Amen.