Song of Solomon 1:5
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Here the Shulamite woman can see in herself a great contradiction. She despises her blackness and at the same time, she says that she is comely. She says she is like the tents of Kadar and also like the curtains of Solomon. First of all let me say we are looking much deeper than skin color here, to the spiritual application of her statements.
The tents of Kedar speak of leathery sundried tents that people would put up in the desert wilderness and the curtains of Solomon were the tapestries hung in the royal courts of the wisest and richest king that ever ruled Israel. This is an illustration of the internal struggle she sees within herself.
This is true of The Church, as well. We see the imperfections of sin and the marks of imperfection even on our heavenly Grace's. We know we have changed since we have met Him but we have not perfectly changed, we have graces that we did not once have but they are imperfect as well. I'm not perfectly forgiving, or perfectly faithful but all my graces seemed to be marred with the blackness of my sinful flesh. I see in myself the sundry wilderness of depravity and I notice at the same time the beautiful adorning of his marks of grace in my life. It is as if he has brought his beautiful adornings and hung them in my poor miserable tent of existence. The graces he has bought and paid for with his own blood are worth more than the house that he has hung them in. His love and graces and salvation are worth more than me who he has bestowed them on. This condescension of His love overwhelms me, that upon us he bestows the riches of glory. Hallelujah to the Lamb!!! Upon us has come the gift of eternal love and life!! His life for mine! The King of heaven and earth given for me, and to me. I may be black and like the tents of Kedar, but in my heart hangs the curtains of God's adorning grace. His graces make my earthly tent feel like a royal palace!! My body and existence on this earth may look like the tents of Kedar, dry and miserable, but one step inside the heart of his people you would be amazed at the beauty he has invested in these earthen vessels. Glory to God in the Highest!!
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